Overview
The women of Gona village, Papua New Guinea, made this cope (priest’s vestment) as a farewell gift for the Reverend Wardman in 1962. The Anglican missionary had lived and worked with the community for 12 years.
The cope combines indigenous bark cloth with machine-sewing techniques and Christian symbolism – the cross, fish, and doves.
The Anglican mission was first established in Papua New Guinea in the late 1880s. This garment reflects the strong relationships that often formed between missionaries and local people.