Teina is an ancestor emerging, made to be a sister piece to Masi, with intention that she could be worn and handled in ways the older 19th century bark cloth is not.
Like traditional and some contemporary bark cloth (or tapa, as it is widely known), Teina is painted in earth pigments on 100% cotton muslin. The hand stitched embellishments honor my grandmother who was a tivaevae maker. I see Cook Islands tivaevae quilts as a descending from the tradition of bark cloth, evidence of how culture grows and adapts to environment.
The selection of Fijian and Māori (Cook Islands) patterns share the journey of Masi, the people she encountered, and their practices of care.
