Studio: international art (34.1905)

Art in the Solomon Islands

Chewing the betel nut with betel
pepper and lime is indulged in by-
natives throughout the group of islands.
From San Cristoval come the carefully-
made bamboo tubes in which the lime
is carried. The surface of the bamboo
is generally ornamented by cutting or
scratching in geometrical designs in
which triangles are a favourite motive.

some types of native patterns

of the bottle is a cocoanut shell, the neck a piece
of bamboo, and the whole is covered with vegetable
putty made from the scraped kernel of the nut of
Parinarium Zaurinum, the same putty used as is by
the natives for caulking the seams of their canoes.

. san christoval ear pendant

The commonest pattern used by the natives of of parinarium nuts, inlaid

the Solomon Islands appears to be a zigzag line with pieces ok pearl shell

suggestive of the chevron; the pattern is formed
by placing a number of small triangular pieces of

shell in two rows, the space between them forming Occasionally the lime spoons (or, rather, sticks for
the line. Good examples are to be seen on well- conveying the lime to the mouth) have carved
decorated canoes, and similar patterns were used handles. One specimen has a handle of a single
in tattooing the face in the Eastern Islands. On figure carved in the round. In another example
the front of Tambu houses it occurs painted in the handle is formed by two figures, one standing
hues of red, white, and black. upon the other; the upper figure wears a large hat.

The grouping is good, but
the native idea of the
human figure is poor and
inaccurate.

The Tambu houses, built
to hold the war canoes,
show the extraordinary
mechanical skill of the
natives. The centre row

bamboo lime box and carved lime stick] of posts in these_ houses