T-shirt (Royal Family Shield)

In the late 20th and of the 21st century, hip hop was an important focus and creative outlet for young people in New Zealand and worldwide. The material culture of hip hop in New Zealand documents a distinctive local response to a global music phenomena across a range of cultural activities.

The Royal Family

This t-shirt is part of the official merchandise for the 2013 Royal Family dance crews of The Palace Dance Studio – a prominent hip hop dance studio based in Auckland, New Zealand. The t-shirt features the iconic Royal Family crown sitting on a shield with the letters R F representing Royal Family.

Significance

The Palace Dance Studio is owned by internationally recognised choreographer and dancer, Parris Goebel who specialises in hip hop dance. It is home Hip Hop dance crews that include Royal Family, ReQuest, Misfits, Sorority and Bubblegum. It is also the origin point of a dance movement known as Polyswagg - a fusion of the Polynesian dance styles that members of the Royal Family have combined with their passion for hip hop choreography and style.

Acquisition History

This t-shirt was acquired by Te Papa from The Palace Dance Studio in 2017.