Doll

This cloth doll was made for Cook Islands tourist markets in the early 21st century.

Materials and construction

The doll is made from white soft cloth and dressed with a short pareu (wrap around) printed with a red leaf motif. It is wearing a bra consisting of red cloth flowers stitched with two pearlshell buttons. Similar flowers comprise a headdress. The doll is also wearing a necklace of broken white shell pieces.

Significance

Since the 1960s, and the expansion in international air travel, the Pacific Islands have been a popular destination for tourist leisure and recreation. Culturally themed merchandise and souvenirs were developed locally or imported from overseas manufacturers to meet the demand of new tourist markets. Dolls dressed in cultural attire were popular products collected by travellers as souvenirs or keepsakes.

According to the donor, this is a doll made by "Polynesian by Design" a company that ran for about 5 years before closing in 2007. Fashion designer Annie Bonza worked for the company as a designer.

Acquisition history

The pare was offered as a gift to Te Papa in 2017 by curator and poet Jean T. Chapman-Mason (Cook Islands/English).