T-shirts as canvases

This T-shirt was made by Siliga Setoga of PopoHardWear. Using a mock dictionary format, he has come up with a historically accurate yet humorous definition for the term ‘freshy’.

Freshy and fob
‘Freshy’ and ‘fob’ are derogatory terms used to describe new arrivals to New Zealand from the Pacific islands. The expressions come from the shipping term f.o.b. (‘free on board’) and its informal interpretation ‘fresh off the boat’, often used by traders to refer to fruit imported from the Pacific islands. Another derogatory term used by Pacific T-shirt designers is ‘bunga’ – a racist expression for a person of colour, especially a Pacific Islander.

Put-downs turned round
By reworking these put-downs in a humorous way, Setoga and other T-shirt designers turn them into statements of pride and identity. It is difficult to insult someone who wears your insults with a smile. Nevertheless, as the ‘freshy’ T-shirt points out, there is a fine line between laughing with someone and laughing at them. If that line is crossed – watch out!

New roots
Some T-shirts draw on the historical importance of place to Pacific migrants. ‘Bungaz N The Hood: Homage to Ponsonby and Grey Lynn The Original Fob Mecca’ acknowledges the two Auckland suburbs where most Pacific migrants lived from the 1950s to the 1970s. Other T-shirts pay homage to Otara and Mangere, suburbs in Manukau City with high numbers of Pacific people.

Popo
Another common symbol used by T-shirt designers is the coconut. Both the term and the form are used in various ways. Siliga Setoga uses ‘popo’ (the Samoan word for coconut) in the name of his label, PopoHardWear, and a coconut form as the symbol.

Commercial symbols
Setoga also reworks commercial symbols and slogans in his designs. One example is ‘Fob Power – Outstanding on the Football Field, the Factory Floor, and the Footpath Brawl’ (inspired by a laundry powder brand). Other examples include ‘Freshy, I’m got to be good for you!’ (inspired by a well-known fruit juice slogan), and Kalo & Fried Corned-beef’ (inspired by the KFC brand – also a favourite with Pacific Islanders).

A T-shirt slogan popular with teachers is ‘Discipline – the genetic fabric of Samoan society: “e sasa oe?” If pain persists: “aua ne‘i toe faia”.’ The slogan reworks advertising for disinfectant, except ‘e sasa oe?’ means ‘do you want a smack?’ and ‘aua ne‘i toe faia’ means ‘don’t do it again’. The symbol is the salu – the Samoan broom.

Pasifika style
Pacific T-shirt designers use a universal clothing form but create a distinctive Pasifika style. The style cleverly combines popular urban culture with Pacific heritage, values, and humour. The designs, the messages, and the language used are all unique to the experiences of Pacific people in New Zealand.

Text originally published in Tai Awatea, Te Papa's onfloor multimedia database (2007)