Subject: tesumajipic warrior
Culture: Asmat
Setting: tribal warfare, Casuarina Coast 20thc
Object: juwur sis 'dog's tooth' necklace
* Palace of Wax > Ripley's Believe It or Not!
"DOG'S TOOTH NECKLACE
In New Guinea dog's teeth are used as currency, a single tooth being worth 100 coconuts. The teeth are usually extracted after a dog's death and strung together into necklaces and belts. Dogs themselves, however, are considered only as valuable as their teeth, so some tribes bury them up to their necks in sand to hold them still, as their canine teeth are forcefully pulled. [CRITICAL THINKING QUESTION: Does this sound reasonable? CONTRA Eyde 1967 p59-60.] Believe It or Not! An entire necklace of dog's teeth, like the one shown here, will buy a bachelor a wife."
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