`ie toga dress with tuiga

This dress is inspired by the dance costumes of Samoan taupou (daughters of chiefs). It was made by New Zealand based Samoan designer Paula Chan Cheuk, who is widely known in the Pacific community in New Zealand for her elegant synthesis of Pacific, Asian, and European styles.

Materials and decoration techniques
The main garment is made from a Samoan 'ie toga (fine mat) woven from strips of pandanus plant fibre, and is decorated with feathers, shells, fibre, and 'afa (coconut fibre cord). The 'ie toga and 'afa were obtained from Si'usega Village, Upolu, Samoa. The feathers are from New Zealand. The small 'cat's eye' shells are from a beach near Chan Cheuk's Auckland home.

Tuiga (headdress)
The headdress that goes with the garment is called a tuiga and is made from feathers, pearlshell, tapa (barkcloth), and wooden rods. By design, it sits almost precariously on the dancer's head. As well as being an attractive accessory, the tuiga's elaborate construction helps keep the dancer's posture and movements graceful.

Significance
The dress was created for the 'Traditional Wear" section in the Miss Samoa New Zealand competition held in August 1997. It was worn by Susan Pa'u, the contestant who won the title. Like other examples of Chan Cheuk's work, the dress reflects her own mixed cultural heritage as well as that of her Pacific/New Zealand based clientele.