bag

Kato Pueki. Bag decorated with pueki shells. This is a flat woven bag with shells decorating the entire outside surface. Lou akau (pandanus leaf) strips are woven into a rectangular shape and then fau (hibiscus) fibres are used to knot together the pueki shells in the sia technique around the outside of the bag. There are two handles, woven and cylindrical shape, attached on the inside of the front and back of the kato. Both the front and back of the kato have pueki shells arranged to make the manulua design. This kato would have been made for the tourist trade.

Wāhi

Tafahi/Tonga Outliers/Tonga/Pacific

Accession Number

1976.73

Rā Tāpiringa

1976

Tohu Tuakiri Kē

47580 (ethnology)

Wāhanga

Pacific