Shell money jewellery
Jewellery that is made by grinding sea shells into small discs, drilling a hole in the discs and then threading them in a pattern. Both men and women wear shell-money jewellery, also known as Tafuliae, in Solomon Islands.
Cultural Context
Traditionally, tafuliae is made in the Langa Langa Lagoon region of Malaita. Jewellery made from red/brown shells are the most valuable as the shells need to be heated to obtain that colour. Elaborate shell-money body ornaments are worn at weddings and for graduations and other special occasions.
