Bowl for Kava

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Culture Samoan

Title Bowl for Kava (Tanoa fai’ava)

Date 20th century

Medium Wood, conch shell, and and fiber

Dimensions Object: 9 1/2 × 26 3/16 × 5 3/4 in. (24.1 × 66.5 × 14.6 cm)
Overall: 9 1/2 x 26 3/16 x 5 3/4 in. (24.1 x 66.5 x 14.6 cm)

Credit Line Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Henry R. Hope, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 63.231

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About this Work

Kava bowls from Samoa are characterized by their round or elliptical shape and the use of four or more legs. In addition to the number of legs, they can be distinguished from Fijian and Tongan kava bowls because of their flat horizontal rim. These bowls were used for both the preparation and the serving of ‘ava, a drink made from the roots of the kava plant that are crushed and mixed with water. As a result of the importance of ‘ava at formal occasions, kava bowls have high significance in Samoan culture.

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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Bowl for Kava | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=63.231