waist garment

human history

Manafau. Dancing skirt. Manafau are skirts worn to perform in by both men and women and children, they are made from fau (hibiscus) fibre and there are different variations of manafau depending on the maker, the wearer, and the village they hail from. The most basic manafau are made from natural coloured fau but there are others with embellishments such as dyed fau, decorated waistbands etc. This manafau is made from natural colour fau strips which have been looped and knotted on a long length of fau which is the top of the waistband. Just below this is a thick decorated waistband of cream coloured pueki shell and red coloured Lopa (red sandalwood) (red sandalwood) seeds. These are sewn and knotted with fau and are placed in such a way that it makes a pattern along the entire waistband. The fau fibres are left to hang loose from the waistband and are evenly distributed along its width.

Accession number: 1953.155.2 Last Update: 15 Oct 2025
Other Name

kiekie pueki

Manafau

Place
Tonga/Pacific
Accession Number

1953.155.2

Accession Date

20 Oct 1953

Other Id

33808.2 (ethnology)

Department

Pacific

Enquire API view
10 Images
waist garment, 1953.155.2, 33808.2, Cultural Permissions Apply Cultural Permissions Apply
View gallery ( 10)