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Title:
Standing up kesa.
Description:
This series shows the process of standing up kesa in order to display and measure it, as was conventional procedure in all
kesa transactions. Wrappings are of ivory nut palm leaf and the measuring stick, which also prevents the rickety stack from
falling, is the mid-rib from the leaf. The kesa must stand freely and be neatly arranged, but the rough edges of the thin
shell make this difficult. The man in the center is the owner of this kesa, which is worth five small kesa, and he shows obvious
delight in tis display. Kesa larger than this one were given personal names, and their histories were carefully remembered
and related by their owners.
Creator/Contributor:
Scheffler, Harold W., 1932-, Photographer
Date:
between 1958-1961
Contributing Institution:
UC San Diego, Mandeville Special Collections Library
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