One of the enigmas of Oceanic music is the pūtōrino, an instrument once made by the Māori people of Aotearoa (New Zealand) that may have been played as a flute or as a trumpet. Carved from a block of matai wood (Podocarpus spicatus) to mimic a case moth's (tūngou ngou) cocoon, the pūtōrino is formed by splitting the wood, hollowing the inside, and lashing it back together with vine.
Credit: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Late 19th century
Wood, cord
45.4 x 5.1 x 2.5 cm
89.4.1561
Image and text © Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2023
Where you'll find this
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Permanent collection