Feather money ·  Solomon Islands - Santa Cruz Islands · ID: 3033642

Description

bast girth, rolled up from either end so that a double roll evolves, red feathers of the Myzomela cardinalis glued on the girth, strings with seeds attached;
the feather money was produced by specialists in several elaborate steps. Hundreds of birds had to give their feathers for making one single roll, over fiftythousand feathers of Myzomela cardinalis were needed (!). The feather money served as indicator for wealth and prosperity. On festive occasions everyone displayed the feather money he ownes at the village dance floor. The value of a roll corresponds to its state of preservation, which is quite good for the present example.

Comparing literature

Horst Kimpel, Traditionelle Zahlungsmittel, Wuppertal 1994, p. 114 f.