waist garment
Department PacificAccession Date 17 Aug 1976Accession Number 1976.137Description 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. 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 part of the dance attire of Kolofo'ou village in Tonga and is worn when they perform their Laione lakalaka. This manafau is made from red dyed and natural coloured fau strips. There are vana (circle rosettes) made from fau that alternate colours along the waistband. The fau is dyed in sections and these sections match the colour of the vana at the top of the waistband.