In Tonga, coconut fibre is a highly regarded weaving material, valued both for the expertise required to work with it and the strength, durability and beauty of objects made from it. Lesieli Kato Kakala Tohi Tupou and Sione Maileseni reimagine and extend the symbolic potency of works made from coconut fibre. They draw on two distinctive forms which feature throughout Tonga’s history as signifiers of rank, wealth and hierarchy – the kato mosikaka and kato kafa.

Mosikaka weaving uses single strands of coconut fibre and was historically practised by select individuals who worked solely for the royal family to produce durable, ornate baskets and containers for precious items. The extensive labour and secrecy that surrounded this practice gradually led to its discontinuation more than 200 years ago. Tupou has spearheaded efforts to relearn the technique and explore possibilities for its place in contemporary society, including as ceremonial accessories and body adornments.

In contrast, kato kafa are made from thousands of delicate coconut fibres braided into kafa (sennit). The kafa is intricately woven around coiled coconut‑frond midribs to form a robust ceremonial basket. At the centre of this installation is Maileseni’s version of a pulupulu fakatu’i (imperial robe). Made completely out of kafa, it gives expression to a vision of sovereignty that fully recognises and embraces the innate and distinctive strengths of a nation.

Through this installation, the artists offer their perspective on sovereignty and cultural resilience from the unique context of living in the last remaining, yet quickly evolving, Pacific monarchy.

Maileseni celebrates the significance of these works in a poem:

Manatu (remember/pay tribute) ... to our past and our ancestors.

Manatu ... that our natural resources are biodegradable.

Manatu ... that our work is our gift for our world and generations to come.

Manatu ... that our artisanship holds our culture and traditions.

Manatu … that a strong maeakafa (coconut fibre rope) binds us together with the four pillars of the Tongan Culture.