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i Sulu ni Vakamau

human history
  • Other Name

    Wedding garment (English)

  • Description

    i Sulu ni Vakamau. Wedding gown consisting of three garments: a train, a stole and a wedding gown, all made from natural masi vulavula (plain white barkcloth) that is thick in texture. The train is rounded at one end width and has flat strip togitogi (fringing) at other end. The stole has togitogi edges and is bunched at the front. The bodice of the dress is plain with straps and rosettes made of masi material around bottom edge and at side parting.

    Accordion pleating is arranged up one side with a zipper in the back. The back of the dress has a braid of masi across the back and used to drape and secure the train which loops through the braid attachment and drapes down. The rounded end drags along the floor. Rosettes are secured to the fabric with strips of vau (hibiscus).

  • Place
  • Accession Number
    1993.34
  • Accession Date
    19 Jan 1993
  • Other Id

    54450 (ethnology)

  • Department
dress, wedding

Images and documents

Images

Artefact

  • Credit Line
    Collection of Auckland Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, 1993.34, 54450
  • Public Access Text

    This wedding dress was made by Mereia Johnston and worn by her daughter, Juliana Sucu when she married Graeme Couper, 14 November, 1992 in a Seventh Day Adventist ceremony in the grounds of Orewa House.

    The flower girls Solei Paul and Tanya-Leight Coates also wore barkcloth dresses. The white cloth (masi vulavula) used to make the stole and train) was from Somosomo on Taveuni, and that used to make the dress was from Vatulele. The stole was treated with perfumed coconut oil in which flowers had been soaked. This makes the cloth translucent and gives it a golden colour. The train was folded over an attached band at the back of the waist so that a shorter length hung above the train like a bustle.

    Nothing was worn on the head and a single white cowrie shell was worn around the neck. The costume was made in Auckland.

  • Cultural Origin
  • Primary Maker

     Mrs Mereia Johnston (Dressmaker)

  • Place
  • Date
    1992
  • Technique
  • Media
  • Measurement Description
    1540 x 610 mm
    4600 length x 920 mm width of stole
  • Measurement Reading

    1560mm

    745mm

    87mm

    480mm

    493mm

    561mm

    915mm

    975mm

    1057mm

    871mm

    583mm

    77mm

    1000mm

    3740mm

  • Classification
  • Last Update
    20 Sep 2018
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