Salu salu is a decorative waistband widely worn by Tongan women over their valas (wraparound mats) as a mark of respect to their culture and king. Essential at ceremonies, the salu salu, or the shorter kiekie, are also worn over everyday clothes by women working in official positions. In this salu salu Tonga Lemeki has substituted the traditional pandanus or hibiscus bark for brightly coloured and tufted wool, reflecting the strong influence of Fijian textiles in Tonga.

Tonga and its island of 'Eua, where Tonga Lemeki was born, are geographically very close to the Fijian Lau group of islands. As the population of Lau is largely composed of Polynesian descendants of early Tongan chiefs who populated the islands, there continue to be close connections between the Lau islanders and their Tongan relatives. Lau women are renowned for their innovative use of brightly coloured commercial wools as part of their woven and plaited textile work. The Fijian technique of tufting that was introduced by the missionaries is particularly admired within Tonga, as reflected in this purple, red, green and orange tufted salu salu.