A variety of artistic and historic Tongan koloa is currently on show at the Para Site art gallery in Hong Kong, curated by Lady Dowager Tunakaimanu Fielakepa.

The exhibition, called ‘Koloa, Women, Art and Textiles [2]’, was initially displayed at the Langafonua Centre for the first time, in Nuku’alofa last August.

It features a beautiful collection of art practices that make up koloa, such as ngatu or bark cloth making, fine weaved ta’ovala and ceremonial mats as well as kafa or woven rope made from coconut fibre or, sometimes, human hair.

Lady Tunakaimanu’s involvement as curator for the pieces is based on her life-long research into Tonga’s customary arts, and as a caretaker of her family’s heirloom mats, barkcloth and the objects used to make them.

While certain koloa are saved for special one-off traditional ceremonies, others are used regularly such as the ta’ovala which can be worn many times.

She told the Hong Kong Tatler [3] that koloa are not made to be exhibited.

“They are private, family things that we use,” she said. “They have a purpose—we make them to wear to church on Sunday, and for occasions such as weddings and funerals.”

An example is during Tongan weddings, where koloa is used as traditional presents.

“From the boy’s side, the family give lots of pigs and food to the bride’s family. And the girl’s side present koloa to the groom’s family,” she said.

The exhibition came about when Hong Kong’s Para Site art gallery director, Cosmin Costinas, and Frontier Imaginaries artistic director Vivian Ziherl, met Lady Tunakaimanu in Tonga in 2018.

“We met her at the Langafonua Centre, which is an association for promoting the arts of women that she is very much involved in,” said Costinas.

They encouraged Tunakaimanu to exhibit items from her collection of koloa, some of which have been passed through her family for generations.

The exhibition has also expanded the scope to include work by three women artists from the Oceania region, including Tanya Edwards, Nikau Hindin, and Vaimaila Urale.

The display will run until 23 February 2020.