Tagata Pasifika: Ie Toga

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[niu1963]

Tutuila claims that the first one named in Samoa and accepted by the kings was woven by a group of women in the A'uma village, near Leone, and it was the same robe that was completed in Fagaitua by a woman by the name of Tauoloasii. The robe when finished was worn by the weaver when she jumped into a deep pool of water during a ceremony celebrating the great event. When the weaver came out of the water, the robe was said to be perfectly dry

[niu1963]

Manu'a claims that the first robe woven and named in Samoa was the Lau o le Teve ma le Masoa (Leaves of the Teve and Arrowroot Plants). Upolu claims that the first established group of weavers was in Fagaloa. The kings, they said, first recognized their Pipii ma le Eleele (Cling to Earth).

[niu1963]

The women of Samoa immediately got together, and in groups they worked to copy the weaving of the precious gift. The honour of being the first and original group to weave the first robe in Samoa for the kings is now claimed by several different groups in the islands. There is also a difference in opinion as to which of things' royal robes was first ceremoniously named. Having no written history at the time, Fuka, the Princess of Tonga, arrived at opinions on the matter.

[niu1963]

Fuka was the younger sister of Tuitoga, the King of Tonga. She brought the robe from Tonga to Samoa to be presented to her older sister, Lautiovogia, who was then the Queen in Samoa to King Tuiatua. Fuka's gift was given to her Queen-sister during her visit to Samoa. In appreciation of the gift, King Tuiatua named the robe Ie-Toga in honour of the Royal Family of Tonga. Since that historical occasion hundreds of years ago, the name of the royal robe has never been changed.

[niu1963]

The Ie-Toga is woven by hand from cured leaves of the finest grade of the pandanus plant. The best weavers among the women are engaged in the tedious job of weaving one robe which takes them several years to complete. Originally the Ie-Toga (Tongan Cloth) was brought to Samoa by Fuka of Tonga. According to history the first Ie-Toga was woven for many years in Tonga by Fuka herself

[niu1963]

Valuables belonging to kings and high chiefs while they were alive have been buried with them in their graves when they passed away, even if they were made of gold or diamonds, according to an ancient custom. The Ie-Toga has never been subjected to that treatment. Burying of Ie-Toga with the dead has never been permitted.

[niu1963]

But the Samoans can buy several acres of land and save a condemned man with one Ie-Toga. Besides those, there are now among the royalties of Samoa very old Ie-o-le-Malo (government-approved robes) that can never be bought with money. The wealth of the chief is measured according to the number of Ie-Togas he has and the history attached to each robe in his collection. It is the most precious medium of exchange in Samoa according to the Samoans.

[niu1963]

The term "fine mat" is not an accurate English translation for the word Ie-Toga, the most valued possession of the royal families of Samoa. It fails to describe the true value of the sacred ceremonial robe as the Samoans see it. Ie-Toga is never used as a mat; it never was and it will never be. It is often said among the Europeans that a person can buy anything with money, and that is true in many cases.

[tamaolemaa]

@immacrazyone2 - Samoans did not learn weaving the fine mat from Tonga. It is called a "Ie Toga" because the demand for these Samoan mats from Tonga, especially amongst the Tongan royal family was such that the major destination for the finest mats was Tonga to cement  marriages and political alliances.

[AzFonoti]

it's colourful because Tongans add in colourful strips that were made by the palagi.

Samoans keep it traditional adding feathers from the birds of Samoa.