food bowl | African Art & South Pacific | Indianapolis Museum of Art

Africa, the South Pacific, and the Americas

food bowl

Creation date 1880-1900
Materials wood
Dimensions 7 1/2 x 10 x 10 in.
Credit line Gift of Mrs. Albert P. Niblack
Accession number 48.53

Gallery Label

These bowls are used for poi, a food made from pounded taro root. The bowls are carved of wood that does not readily split, is easy to carve and resists insect damage. An artist may work on several at one time, and shaping and smoothing could take months to complete. In former times, each household owned several bowls of different sizes, and they often became important family heirlooms.

Descriptive tags added by visitors:

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