"Tor" - Caroline Islands Sash

A very finely loom woven belt from the Caroline Island of Pohnpei. These fine sashes were worn over grass skirts by high ranking men and women for ceremonial and festive occasions. Missionaries in the 19th century disapproved of native dress and this type of garment was not produced after the end of the 19th century or very early 20th century.

The Caroline Islands were the only weaving centers in Micronesia and are known for this type of weaving which is represented in various museums round the world. They were woven on a back strap loom from banana fiber; in this example the design is accentuated with red wool. The wool would have been highly valued as something rare and exotic and acquired in trade from Europeans.

There is an almost identical example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/10/oci/ho_1982.351.htm

The De Young Museum in San Francisco has a very fine example and has anexcellent article available on line contained in the a Textile Arts Council

Newsletter: www.ccsf.edu/Departments/Fashion/tac2.pdf

Overall it is in an excellent state of preservation but there are some very minor losses to the red wool patterning, as is the Met example