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Overview
This is a skirt worn as part of a dance costume. It is attributed to the Cook Islands based on its method of construction and the maker’s use of applied decoration.
Construction
The skirt consists of a wide plaited waistband that runs into long hanging strips of hibiscus fibre. The waistband is decorated with a string of grey shells, two sets of rosettes made from red dyed fibre and shell, and a row of black seed and red fibre tassels.
Significance
This dance skirt is part of a collection associated with Frank Corner, a New Zealand diplomat who worked in London as Deputy High Commissioner between 1952 and 1958, and later in the Pacific Islands.In 1961, Corner became New Zealand's Ambassador to the United Nations. He chaired the Trusteeship Council for two years, and served on the United Nations Security Council. Corner was the leading proponent of decolonisation of Pacific territories under New Zealand control, and provided the leading intellectual arguments in favour of decolonisation of Tokelau, the Cook Islands,Niue and Western Samoa.
Acquisition History
This dance skirt is part of a collection donated to Te Papa by Victoria Corner in 2018.