Pounder (penu)

Culture: Tahitian (Ma'ohi) artist
Date: probably late 18th–early 19th century
Material: Volcanic stone
associated with: French Polynesia, France, Oceania
Classification: Stone & mineral, tools & equipment
Collection: Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Current Location: On View, Gallery 108
Dimensions: 7 15/16 x 3 9/16 in. (20.2 x 9 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Morton D. May
Rights: Public Domain
Object Number: 81:1977

NOTES

Gifts of food to allies or extended family punctuate the life of Polynesian communities. This implement was used to prepare such offerings. Apart from the cooked meat of pigs, game, or fish, the most important food staple is coconut milk mixed with a puree of either breadfruit or taro, depending on the region. Made of volcanic stone, this pounder was used to mash fruits or tubers into a paste.

Provenance

by 1974 - 1977
Morton D. May (1914-1983), St. Louis, MO, USA [1]

1977 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May [2]

Notes:
[1] This object was in the collection of Morton D. May when it arrived on loan to the Museum in 1974 [1974.1684 loan agreement form, SLAM document files].

[2] A letter dated March 1, 1977 from Morton D. May to James N. Wood, director of the Saint Louis Art Museum, includes the offer of this object as part of a larger donation [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, April 14, 1977.

We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.