Being relatively isolated on a chain of islands meant the Kiribati people had limited resources, and so became adept at creating impressive objects from relatively rudimentary materials. The most highly developed armour in the Oceanic region came from the small Micronesian archipelago of Kiribati. Like the Santa Isabel shield, armour from Kiribati is rare and the Pitt Rivers Museum collection is among the most extensive in the world. One of the defining characteristics of Kiribati is its geography of low-lying coral atolls, meaning that very few raw materials were historically available. Consequently, the i-Kiribati armourer relied on ingenuity to overcome this natural obstacle. The coconut plant, as well as being plentiful, was thought to possess special protective powers. Therefore armour was woven from coconut fibre and often bore woven designs on the chest, either in a darker shade of coconut fibre, or in female human hair. These designs occasionally represented animals such as dolphin in a stylised form. Cinderclown Shoes • Combat Boots • Cowboy Boots • Crystal Shoes • Dark Boots • Dragonscale Boots • Emily's Magic Boots • Firewalker Boots • Genie Shoes • Leather Boots • Leprechaun Shoes • Mermaid Boots • Rubber Boots • Sneakers • Space Boots • Thermal Boots • Tundra Boots • Work Boots The coir helmet does not burst into flames thus, in a case of any accidental fires, the coir helmet is safer to use. Like a plastic helmet, the coir safety helmet also has the water-repellent feature.

It would be sad to think that the Kiribati people lost so much of their culture due to colonization, but thankfully, this is not true. Kiribati separated from the British Empire in 1979, and since then, traditional Kiribati culture has seen a resurgence. Trypticon (which very loosely means "Oops. I just accidentally stepped on that." in Latin) is louder, hungrier, and stompier than the Autobird he was redecoed from, but not bigger like you'd think. The nation, known today as the Republic of Kiribati, was once known as I-Kiribati. It is a nation made up of thirty-three coral atolls that are spread over 1.3 million square miles (3.5 million square kilometers). The islands are located in Micronesia, a region of the Western Pacific.

Today, there are far more suits of Kiribati armor in foreign hands than native. It is believed the only examples of the armor on the island are in Te Umwanibong, the Kiribati Museum and Cultural Centre on the Tarawa atoll. When the Pacific Presences Project, based at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge decided to recreate the armor, they had to use New Zealand-based artists, as the Kiribati themselves had long lost the know-how. This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

The process of making the armor would have been associated with a powerful ritual, instilling in the armor the power and strength of the raw materials used to make it. The warriors would also go through a ritual before going into battle. Wearing the armorThe shape covers down to the sides and lower part of the head providing a tough protection for the head with the outer shell made from a hard, durable ABS plastic and a foam lining for an additional layer of protection and added comfort. Kiribati man wearing coconut armor, holding a shark tooth spear (British Museum / CC BY SA 4.0 ) Who are the Kiribati? This set also included vehicle bodies for Optimus Prime Bird and Galvatron Pig, each with detachable soft-plastic heads for use with the actual slingshot portion of the launcher, or other launchers and vehicles in the toyline. It's like this; our main raw material is coir. It is a waste by-product of coconut kernel based manufacturing industries. Since the industrial revolution has started the pollution of air and water has increased. So by using coir we are trying to reduce usage of synthetic material. In manufacturing this coir based helmet, we didn't use any highly hazardous chemicals. We thoroughly consider the chemicals we are using because a helmet, being a wearable thing, should not be toxic to the human skin and should be comfortable and environmentally friendly. Coconut fiber cuirass with struts, decorated with human hair, with porcupine fish helmet (photo: Josh Murfitt, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge)

The strands were then rolled together to create longer cords, and those cords were then woven together to craft the coconut armor. The multiple layers of fiber accumulated to offer a good degree of protection. In some ways, it was not unlike the modern idea of Kevlar armor, which is made up of a synthetic fiber that is woven together. Coconut fiber string, a material still produced and used today, is the main material used for the armor, chosen not just for its availability but also its strength and flexibility. The fibers come from the husk of the coconut, found between the inner shell and the outer skin. These fibers are soaked in the water of the lagoon for two to three months, then rinsed and dried. Several fibers are rolled into small strands, which are then rolled together to create long cords. At first sight, Kiribati armor might look a little strange, it is certainly not a suit of armor as we tend to think of it. It was surprisingly effective, given that it was made from coconut fibers, and little else. Kiribati society changed drastically after their first encounters with westerners, but their armor offers a fascinating glimpse into what Kiribati life used to be like. The image of the Kiribati warrior has reemerged, and is commonly seen on clothing and mascots for island sports teams. It is a symbol of strength and pride that younger islanders have gravitated to, proud of their heritage. Kiribati combat was a kind of group duel. The armored warrior carried a spear lined with shark teeth and tipped with a stingray barb. He was flanked by several unarmored allies who carried spears, clubs, and small daggers. In bigger fights, such as those between villages or islands, the forces marched in three groups, with the armored ‘heroes’ in the center.The research for this entry was produced during the European Research Council funded project: ‘Pacific Presences: Oceanic Art and European Museums’, under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) / ERC grant agreement n° [324146]11.