Traditional Ways of Life in the South Pacific
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Stone Money
Yap Islands, Micronesia, Second half of the 19th century (Gift of Mr. Taguchi Ukichi)Asian Gallery (Toyokan) Room 13
March 24, 2026 (Tue) - June 21, 2026 (Sun)Tokyo National Museum has a large collection of ethnological materials from the South Pacific, mostly collected from the 19th to 20th century. During that period, the traditional beliefs and customs of South Pacific islanders were changing rapidly as they came in contact with colonial powers. Today, some of the objects in the collection can no longer be found on the islands they came from.
The current exhibition features ethnological materials from the South Pacific related to traditional ways of life, including a model of a ceremonial house, crocodile-catching gear, musical instrument, bowls, and objects used as currency. They offer a rare glimpse into the unique indigenous cultures of the South Pacific.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Model of a Ceremonial House (Haus Tambaran) | New Guinea, Melanesia | Start of the 20th century | Gift of Mr. Tanaka Umekichi, TK-3055 | |||
| Highlight | Stone Money | Yap Islands, Micronesia | Second half of the 19th century | Gift of Mr. Taguchi Ukichi, TK-1966 |