Necklace of cowrie shells with a gourd pendant. A double line of cowrie shells makes up the majority of the chain, strung on plastic fishing line. At the bottom are three pairs of shells interspersed with three strands of plastic beads in black red and white. A small brown gourd hangs below this, covered in a loosely woven covering of raffia, with a raffia tassel hanging below. The gourd is embellished with three evenly spaced decorations of a cowrie shell surrounded by a circle of beads.

Staff made of thick, stiff strands of dried grass, wrapped with raffia in an open weave to make up the handle. From the bottom protrudes a tuft of raffia, wrapped with a band of woven white fabric and grey plastic twine. Two circular patches of raffia are attached close to the base, topped with cowrie shells arranged in a flower motif. The top of the staff is covered in unbleached cotton, edged with two kinds of braided synthetic banding. Attached to the cotton are three small gourd rattles, also wrapped in open raffia weaving, each with a single cowrie shell and plastic bead decoration. Three lines of cowrie shells are glued to the cotton between the gourds.

Filá headdress. Gourd headpiece, with hanging raffia cover. The half gourd is decorated with lace around its rim and across to the top centre where it wraps around a protruding lip. On the body between the strips of lace are woven circles of raffia beneath flower shaped arrangements of cowrie shells and plastic beads. Out the top protrusion emerges a stiff tuft of raffia held together by a wrap of grey plastic twine. From the lower rim of the gourd hang thick, metre long strands of raffia, entirely encircling the headdress so that the fringe hangs down evenly over the wearer’s front and back.

Necklace made from a single large, crescent shaped piece of shell with ochre pigment on one side. Attached to a thick, woven, ochre-coloured woven band; one cowrie shell attached to band at each end. Three tufts of possum hair (on the skin) hang from the strap on short woven strings, also coloured with ochre.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.

Short sleeve, backless embroidered blouse with long front panel. Predominantly bright pink with multi-coloured embroidery, the central embroidered designs on the blouse are in the shape of cowrie shells. There are two square designs embroidered over the breasts. Within the square designs are smaller embroidered squares and appliqué circular mirrors. There are also cotton puffs with beads on the top in both of the squares, as well as throughout the entire design. The bottom half of the blouse has a ‘U’ shape embroidered design which includes the cowrie shell technique, rectangles with appliqué mirrors in the centre and cotton puffs. There is also a flower motif embroidered on the inside edge of the ‘U’ shape. On the sleeves of the blouse there is a shield pattern with a flower whorl embroidered in the centre of the shield. Around the shield are several cotton puffs also with beads on top. Around the outer edge of the blouse there is a coloured pattern that includes triangles embroidered from both coloured cotton thread and gold thread. To finish off the edge of the blouse there is a multi-coloured stripe. On the bottom of the blouse, in both corners and in the centre, are small tassels with shells and a cotton puff. On the back of the sleeves there is a darker multi-coloured material.

Small, ring-shaped cushion decorated with white cowrie shells. The inside core of the carrier is filled with grass which has then been covered by a heavy blue cotton and stitched tightly together in order to retain the circular shape. On the outside of the carrier there is a repeating quatra-foil pattern made from cowrie shells. The top and bottom edge is trimmed with a circle of cowrie shells sewn end to end. There are two tassels made of folded and sewn blue cotton that are sewn on to the inside of the carrier, each with a single cowrie shell sewn to the end. Around the inside of the carrier there are remnants of a red piece of cloth which has been worn away in several places.

Large woven basket has a relatively short bulbous body (part a), angling sharply in and upwards at the base. The round pedestal foot sits inside the body perimeter, only partially visible in profile. It is decorated with a single ring of cowrie shells. To the basket are attached four strips of hide, each with three rows of cowrie shells attached. The strips are long and thin, holding the lid (part b) to the body of the basket. The lid is round and wide, with an inset lip allowing it to sit snugly on top of the basket body. The lid rises to a high centre protrusion. Body and lid are decorated with dyed dark brown and red zigzags and concentric upsidedown Vs.

Wooden mask with very long raffia hair. Mask has a narrow pointed chin with an open mouth, small nose, and closed eyes with narrow slits for viewing holes. The brows are pronounced, a double line, rounded, meeting above the nose. Brows and eyelids are emphasized with small, evenly placed pieces of a bronze coloured metal. At the temples are carved small rectangular protrusions and the forehead is covered with rounded lines of protruding dots, holding small metal nails as decoration. Above the forehead are three prow shaped protrusions, decorated at their top ridges with metal, and carved lines down the sides. The crown of the head from the temples is decorated with embedded cowrie shells. Holes pierce the wood below the cheeks, and a wide ring of wood surrounds the mask on sides and bottom. Attached to this are mounds of raffia palm strips that serve as hair.

The paint is black, turquoise, white, and gold.