bavarikon4U
Notice
This object originates from colonial contexts and demands an examination of colonial history. bavarikon is displaying this object in order to enable and promote, among other things, a critical, sensitive examination of colonial history. As the operator of bavarikon, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) would like to point out that the acquisition of the object by the acquiring or holding institution or its predecessors or by persons may have been unethical or unlawful by contemporary standards.
Description
Lime spatula
Slaked lime, extracted from shells or coral, is an important ingredient in betel nut chewing. The fruits of the betel nut palm (Areca catechu L.) are chewed with lime and leaves of the betel pepper (Piper betle L.). The lime dissolves the alkaloids contained in the nut, making betel chewing slightly narcotic yet stimulating.
This lime spatula is one of the numerous ethnographic objects from the Admiralty Islands that Captain Karl Nauer (1874-1962) donated to his hometown of Obergünzburg (Ostallgäu district) as early as 1913 to expand the museum collections. Between 1903 and 1913, Nauer was in the service of Norddeutscher Lloyd in the colony of German New Guinea. In several German museums collections from the former "German South Sea Protectorate" can be traced back to him.
A motif representative of the art of the Admiralty Islands is that of the crocodile, which in the sense of an act of creation brings forth a human figure, and not, as it appears at first glance, devours it. This representation can also be found on spears, daggers or house posts. Typical are the slightly bent arms and legs of the male figure as well as the ball sitting on the head, representing a topknot, the usual hairstyle of the Manus people. The flat spoon at the bottom of the carving is used to remove the lime from a decorated gourd.
Description in Tok Pisin
Kambang Stik
Powra kambang ol mekim kamap long ol solwara sel na koral bilong rip na em bikpela samting insait long kaikai buai. Prut bilong Areca catechu L. em buai kamap long bitolnat limbung na ol kaikai wantaim kambang na lip daka kamap long Piper betle L. kain rope m gro. Dispela kambang bai tanim wara insait long buai bilong mekim maus ret bilong giving manmeri pil gut na amamas wantaim.
Dispela kambang stik em wanpela long planti kain kain etnograpik objeks I kam long Admiralty ailans we Kapten Karl Nauer (1874-1962) em bin donetim long ples taun bilong em, Obergünzburg (Ostallgäu district) long taim bipo olsem 1913 na em mekim moa dispela museum koleksen. Nauer em bin stap long sevis bilong Norddeutscher Lloyd long koloni bilong German Niugini. Insait long planti German museums koleksens aninit long taim bipo "German South Sea Protectorate", olgeta ken luksave bek long em.
Wanpela luksave sanap makim kain han wok bilong kastom long Admiralty Ailans em pukpuk we i bringim stori long hau manmeri bin kamap. Na tu ol kain spia, naip bilong pait o pos bilong haus. Sampela samting ol save mekim tu em ol man gat kurungut han na lek na tu bal i sindaun long het bilong man long makim taitim rop antap, na kain stael bilong hetgras bilong ol Manus pipol. Tamblo long kaving, i gat plat spun bilong rausim kambang long kontaina ol bilasim.