North Pacific, Hawaii, ca. 18th century CE. A sizable and splendid poi pounder, hand-carved from basalt in mottled hues of ash grey and charcoal. The fine implement displays a hemispherical handle to increase the gripping ability of the wielder. The hefty pounding surface is circular in form with a convex face and gradually widens downwards from the slender neck. Poi pounders, alongside adzes, were the most important stone tools in Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands (Europeans introduced steel weapons). They are used for pounding cooked taro root into poi, a staple of the islander diet. Taro root was steamed in an earthen oven, peeled using shells, and placed onto a slab of wood to be pounded. The pounded results were blended with water into a highly nutritious paste. Traditional calabash bowls were used as containers to hold poi mixtures, and traveling royalty were accompanied by their own poi maker, with his or her own poi-making implements like this one. Size: 6″ Diameter x 9.1″ H (15.2 cm x 23.1 cm)
Please note this item may fall under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and may not be eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, & Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.
Condition: Expected surface wear as shown, commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, intact and excellent with light earthen deposits in recessed areas.
Provenance: private Reinsmoen collection, Clear Lake, Iowa, USA, acquired through descent from Robert Anderson, acquired prior to 2000
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