waist garment
Kupu whakaahua: Ta'ovala fanakio. Fanakio waistmat. Ta'ovala are the formal wear of a Tonga, they are worn to formal events and cultural events by men, women and children. They are made from different types f fibres and can be decorated or left plain. There is also a hierarchy of ta'ovala and one wears the appropriate type to an even depending on how you stand in the social setting. This ta'ovala is woven from fanakio (fibre) strips, it is rectangular in shape, and given its size it was most likely made for a child. The top edge is lined with a light blue fabric. The main decorative elements of the ta'ovala is the row of red and blue floral embroidery towards the bottom, there is a sketched outline of a flower in blue perhaps where the maker originally intended to embroider the flowers. There is open weave at the bottom edge of the ta'ovala the top of which has been woven with green, blue and red wool.
Kohinga: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1976.73Rā Tāpiringa: 1976Kupu whakaahua: Ta'ovala fanakio. Fanakio waistmat. Ta'ovala are the formal wear of a Tonga, they are worn to formal events and cultural events by men, women and children. They are made from…