Ngatu (Tongan tapa) titled 'Famili (family)'

This ngatu (Tongan tapa) was made by Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows (Tonga – Falevai, Vava'u) as a part of the 'Ahu: Ngā wairua o Hina project.

Family in the present

In this artwork Sulieti reflects on the concept of Famili (family). At the centre of this work, the core family is represented through her use of the manulua pattern. Extended family and their support are represented through surrounding tokelau feletoa patterns. The black circles on the four outer corners represent the guidance of ancestors watching over their descendants as they journey through life on Earth.

This ngatu emphasises the power of family in the present and its role in supporting individuals to reach their full potential.

"I keep doing my work because it reminds me of my parents. They teach me and always they stick on my mind. I never forget, I always remember them because they gave me the best thing in the world for me to carry and I can give it to my daughter for her to carry."

Sulieti Fieme’a Burrows, 2023

Background

In 2021, with the Te Papa Foundation’s support, Te Papa acquired a rare book of tapa cloth samples, one of many assembled by Alexander Shaw in 1787. The samples were cut from larger pieces of tapa collected on Captain Cook’s voyages to the Pacific (1768, 1772, 1776) and represent tapa-making practices from various islands including Hawai‘i, Tahiti and Tonga. While the books contain only fragments of much larger creations, they highlight the variety of textures and artistry attained through the practices, knowledge, and skills of Pacific peoples.

Held in Tahiti in 2023, 'Ahu: Ngā Wairua o Hina brought tapa makers of Tongan, Sāmoan, Niuean, Fijian, Hawaiian, Tahitian, Pitcairn-Norfolk Island, and Māori descent. Over five days this group worked together to re-establish their living relationships to the cloth held within the Alexander Shaw book. Through a process of wānanga this group of makers created two tapa bundles, incorporating the ideas of past, present, and future. Today, one of the bundles resides with Te Papa and the other with Te Fare Iamanaha-Musée de Tahiti et des Îles.