One of the new exhibitions at the British Museum, Power & Taboo: Sacred Objects from the Pacific, has some lovely images of powerful women.
There is a reproduction of a drawing of Paetini, who was “thought to be the granddaughter of Keatonui, the chief who met Russian expedition of 1804 in the Marquesas”. Important women such as her had up to three chief husbands, and “a number of secondary husbands (pekio) often drawn from the servant class”. They often carried out domestic work. All children were considered to be “fathered” by the most important husbands.
One of the pekios drawn in 1804 doesn’t look very domestic. Mufau, it is said, was greatly admired for his physique, tatooing and warrior prowess. Expedition artist drew and measured every aspecg of his body for comparison with Greek statues. Must have really upset the visiting European men, one suspects…
I’ve written more about the exhibition on My London Your London. Why the fearsome gods? is the question I’m asking.
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