item details
Overview
This is a fragment of a large ngatu (tapa cloth) from the islands of Tonga. It is decorated with motifs depicting a crescent moon, stars and a comet. Ngatu is highly valued in Tongan society, and used for special occasions such as wedding and funeral ceremonies.
Astronomical observations
In Tonga as in many other countries, historical events are sometimes recorded on tapa, and this rare example of ngatu depicts Halley's comet which appeared in 1910. According to astronomers, Halley's comet reappears every 70 to 80 years, and the last recorded sighting took place in the 1980s. This Tongan ngatu is a unique example of the visual documentation of important events during the early twentieth century.
Acquisition History
This ngatu was collected by Cecil Roy Clark, a private of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces who was stationed in Samoa during the First World War. It was purchased from an antique store in Christchurch that had acquired it as part of an Auckland estate.