Mask from a mourner′s costume, heva, of shell and feathers, from the Society Islands; part of the Forster collection (part of Forster 1; 1886.1.1637.3.1)

The mask is composed of seven shells, six being mother of pearl and one rectangular shaped piece being black pearlshell. The shells are perforated on the edges and tied together with coconut fibres. There is a small hole in one of the mother of pearl shells which served as a hole for sight. The mask is encircled with many long thin white feathers taken from the tail of the tropic bird

• Museum database entry.