CHARTERIS 2018.172.001-021

‘Bwebwerake’ means to grow and to evolve in the I-Kiribati language. Chris Charteris’s title refers to the fan palm used to make these 21 swords and, with them, his commitment to exploring innovative forms. Charteris describes the swords as ‘one-off’ creations that draw on his research into collections of I-Kiribati cultural heritage in museums around the world:

They are totally unique and don’t follow a typical form. They comprise a wide range of materials including large fish jaws, whale bones, shells, shark teeth, pandanus, te kora (coconut fibre) hardwood and stingray barbs.

This variety of natural and contemporary materials reflects the manner in which Charteris’s I-Kiribati ancestors would have used whatever they could find in their environment to craft the tools they needed to survive.