Pacific Islands

Kava bowls (American Samoa). Kava bowls are round wooden bowls lined with several short legs that come in various sizes. Kava is mixed with water in the bowl and is drunk using coconut shells at social occasions.

Malaita Jewelry (Malaita). Malaita shell jewelry is made from discs of shell threaded together into necklaces, bracelets, and the ceremonial bride-price piece known as "Tafuliae." Shell money was and still is a form of currency in high demand. Also look for traditional shell jewelry, like headbands, earrings, pendants, breastplates, and armbands.

Rito Hats (Cook Islands). These white flat-rimmed hats are woven from young palm shoots, or Pandanus leaves, and are worn by women in the community for special occasions like baptisms and weddings. The hats are usually adorned with mother-of-pearl shells. Some can sell for hundreds of New Zealand dollars, but there are much cheaper hats available. Pandanus plants are also used for weaving mats, baskets, fans, and many other useful items.

Siapo (Samoa). This delicate cloth comes from the bark of the mulberry tree. The bark is beaten into a pulp and rolled by hand to form paper. It is then covered with patterns, whether freehand or traced, using various dyes. Modern patterns include plants, animals, and shells, but each region has its own specific patterns. The cloth is given as a valued gift at weddings and funerals.

Storyboards (Palau). These long wooden panels were originally carved or painted on the rafters and beams inside of a bai (meeting house.) The carvings are used to tell stories of Palauan culture, whether it's a historical event or an account of daily life.

Tivaevae. (Cook Islands). Tivaevae, whose name means "to stitch or sew," are colorful patchwork quilts that are hung in the hallways where a ceremony such as a birthday, wedding, or even a funeral is taking place. These quilts, which are unique to the Cook Islands, take months to make. Once a year, usually at the end of November, many women's groups exhibit their tivaivais and related textile works for sale.

Woodcarvings. (all Pacific Islands). Woodcarvings are prominent in Cook Island town boutiques and markets. Look for two local carvings: Tangaroa, the phallic statue of a prominent male god, and slit drums known as pate. Solomon Islands woodcrafts generally range from small domestic items such as combs, bowls, and a variety of carved figures and heads. The most distinctive item is the nguzunguzu, anthropomorphic figureheads attached to the bows of war canoes. The best place to buy woodcarvings is not in flea markets or festivals, but near women societies where women get together on the side of the road to sell their goods, or in the homes of some of the artists.