Mar 16, 2024
#FishFriday:
Figure of Sea God Ngorieru (or Ngoreru)
Solomon Islands
late 19th - early 20th c.
turtle shell
on display at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
“A close look at this human-like figure reveals a shark head and fish for feet, attributes of the sea spirit Ngorieru. Honored by Sa'a and Ulawa communities and today familiar across the Solomon Islands as the image on the nation's 10-cent coin, Ngorieru caused danger for people at sea, but could also be asked to protect houses, canoes, and gardens. Ngorieru's protection was often invoked with a small wooden carving, but when foreign traders on the islands revealed a preference for turtle-shell pieces, local artists made a few Ngorieru figures in this translucent but brittle material.”