Tongan style.

artists- Lingisiva ‘Aloua, Kolokesa Kulīkefu, Noma‘Ofa-ki-Nu’usila Talakia’atu, Manuēsina Tōnata, Hūlita Tupou

Curated by: Kolokesa Māhina-Tuai & Manuēsina Māhina

This exhibition that we attended (Tefisi style) at the fresh gallery was held in Otara. Fresh art gallery is made and viewed for young pacific Islanders, it allows young artists who are mainly local to view their artwork not just anywhere but in otara. Tefisi gallery was about 5 tongan New Zealand-based women artists who had something to show about were they come from and their cultural heritage. Each piece of artwork that they had made and displayed was about their labour, time and of their Tongan tradition, Tefisi style is just about the art practices of tongan woman who use these talents and skills that they have been passing on for generations to create embroidery and crochets sheets, pillow cases and dresses. the dresses that was designed in the Tefisi artwork was used and designed to be worn in churches, funerals, christenings and other special occasions.. The dresses can also show a persons status, like number nine of the exhibition list where u have an outfit that was specially made for Sepitema - a special Sunday in September that is dedicated to woman who have reached the equivalent of men's lay preacher, where they renew their governance with God . Also to wear a kiekie (waist ornament) is also an important part of the formal attire for Tongan's to wear at church for example the Tongan Methodist church. The real uniqueness of these pieces of art work is that embroidery is applied to clothing,giving that distinct look known to the Tongans as Tefisi style. and the embroidery is now done on cotton sheets unlike the traditional ways which it was done on cloth made of bark, also known as tapa cloth.embroidered pillowcase was used in January 2001 by Kolokesa's late father during the period prior to his passing. It was also used to decorate the pillows for her sons wedding when he got married in 2007.