Description: Fine quality, hand made unique to each family, this heritage is passed down to another. Beautiful hand woven mats will only grow in value as this may someday become a lost art! See our many other fine mats available today! Thank you. In Samoa a special type of mat - the ‘ie tōga - is never used on the floor of a fale (house), but plays an important part in Samoan culture. ‘ie tōga or fine mats are the most precious type of mat and represent most of the wealth of Samoan families. They are exchanged and presented at weddings and funerals, and at special occasions such as the blessing of a newly-built fale (house) or the opening of a church. ‘ie tōga are sometimes worn at special occasions.At a wedding, ‘ie tōga and other gifts are presented to the groom’s family by the bride’s family. The greater the number of ‘ie tōga and the more history they have, the more clearly the bride’s family show their status and worthiness. In return the groom’s family will collect and present a sum of money to the bride's family, and will later redistribute the ‘ie tōga to members of the groom’s extended family. These exchanges display a mutual respect that enforces family ties. At funerals ‘ie tōga are given to the family of the deceased and gifts of mats and food are given in return. This ‘ie tōga is made from a smaller variety of pandanus known as lau‘ie and preparing the weaving materials can take many days. Once prepared by soaking, drying and bleaching in the sun, the leaves are slit into thin strips - the thinness of the strips determining the fineness of the mats.Weaving the ‘ie tōga can take a long time - even years. They are considered more valuable than currency and many are so cherished that they are given names. In the 1800s, young women would start their own mats or complete ones started by older sisters. Today, it is more common for mats to be woven by a group of women working in a fale lalaga (weaving house).The marks of a well-made fine mat are its softness, shine and fineness. 2
Price: 99.95 USD
Location: Ogden, Utah
End Time: 2024-04-30T21:19:58.000Z
Shipping Cost: 21.95 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Provenance: Ownership History Not Available
Country/Region of Manufacture: Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji Islands
Culture: Hawaiian
Handmade: Yes
