A LARGE TOLAI CURRENCY RING

For Tolai people Tabu (shell money) is sacred currency and a key component of any traditional mortuary ceremony or wedding, in particular. Birthday celebrations, feasts, group initiations, and resolutions of disputes often call for tabu, too.
Once tabu has passed through an initial ceremony, the owner may coil large amounts of it into a wheel for storage or banking. The owner carefully marks each wheel with an “account name,” indicating its purpose.

Tolai Country, Gazelle Peninsula
94 cm, 18 cm diameter.