waist garment

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 a rich natural coloured fau, it has been looped and knotted at the top with the strips hanging loose from the decorated waistband. The waistband has fau which has been knotted in the sia technique, as well as pule shells which have been arranged decoratively.