Tuiga (ceremonial headdress)

The tuiga is a ceremonial headdress that is associated with rank and status in Samoan society. In the 19th century its use was reserved solely for ali'i (chiefs) and their taupou (chiefs’ daughters) or manaia (chiefs’ sons). It was worn by chiefs in battle and for ceremonial processions during ta’alolo (food offerings). It was also worn in celebratory dances and for important occasions that were marked with ‘ava ceremonies. The older style of tuiga was a composite headdress made up of five parts including the pou (siapo foundation), the lave (triple staff or upright framework), the pale fuiono (forehead band), the ‘ie ‘ula (a bundle of red and white feathers), and lauulu (tufts of human hair). However in the 21st century the most common type of tuiga are single-piece hat-like structures such as this one.

The ease of having a one-piece headdress allows for greater artistic license in the production of modern-day tuiga. This example features fundamental components of a tuiga headdress, including hair and feathers, but it also shows ingenuity in the combined use of pearl shell and smaller white shells for the pale fuiono (forehead band) and in the colouring of the feathers, which are brown instead of crimson red.

This tuiga is part of a costume that was created by Samoan Designer Paula Chan-Cheuk for the 1997 Miss Samoa New Zealand pageant. It was worn by contestant Susan Pa’u who won the title and who wore it for the Traditional Wear section of the competition.

Events like the Miss Samoa New Zealand pageant are important occasions where the Samoan community can celebrate and maintain their cultural practises, including Samoan siva (dance) and the use of traditional attire, such as tuiga. The Traditional Wear category is a key component of the pageant because it allows for the showcasing of local creative talent. In this category, designers like Paula Chan-Cheuk create garments that speak directly to the contemporary experiences of Samoan youth in New Zealand, referencing both their cultural heritage and modern or urban surroundings.

This tuiga was purchased from Samoan designer Paula Chan-Cheuk in 1997.

Peter Buck, Samoan Material Culture (Honolulu: Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, 1930), 615-619.

John B. Stair, Old Samoa, or, Flotsam and jetsam from the Pacific Ocean (Papakura: R. McMillan, 1983), 117.