Fan | Drel
vor 1900
About the object
Fans (drel, rel) provide an especially impressive example of how elaborate a craft braiding actually is on the Marshall Islands. Making fans involves a protracted process of preparing plant fibres and stripping leaves, dyeing and, ultimately, the braiding itself. This work was performed by women. Around the home, fans were used to kindle fires, ward off flies and mosquitoes, or to alleviate the distress of a fever.