RB8-20221101_04 - Shell money

Discussion of customs Shell money, known in Tok Pisin as ‘sel moni’, is called ‘tabu’ in Kuanua. [Additional note: The ‘tabu’ shell money has a standard denomination, measured as a fathom: a string of small marine shells threaded with strips of cane is stretched between the two arms at full length.] In past generations, the bride price for a woman to marry was 105 fathoms of shell money. Now, in modern times, the bride price has become more demanding and can reach 400, 500, or 600 fathoms. When someone dies, ‘tabu’ is used as part of a customary tradition in the feasting ceremony. The family of the deceased distributes shell money together with food, such as pork and bananas, to represent the life of the person who has died. His or her wealth of shell money is shared amongst the people who attend this ‘kutu tabu’ ceremony. It is customary for the clan of the deceased to demonstrate their capacity to share wealth, upholding the person’s standing in the community. (Steven Gagau, May 2024) (revised, Russell Barlow, May 2024). Language as given: Makada dialect of Kuanua