Titi

There were a couple of Titi present in the British Museum and the Auckland museum but as noted above in Gardiner’s notes and from conversations with Elders and Artists there was something quite different and distinct about the Titi Malheta.

Original labelling and curators notes:

“Waist garment made of light plaited fibre (hibiscus bark), with fibre tassels, worn by men and was collected about 1895. Christy collection registration slip description, Long strip of finely plaited grass cloth with a fringe. Obsolete dress” (British Museum)

There is also a piece in the Auckland Museum which can be seen in this link Titi, Auckland Museum

which noted that there were specific orange and brown stains which could possibly be mena that was used to stain Titi as outlined by one of the Elders.