TAUPOU costume.

TUIGA (Headpiece)

The tuiga is the headpiece that is worn by a Taupou/Augafa'apae (female) or Manaia (male), to show their status as the daughter or son of the highest chief in the village, or sometimes the whole district, when they perform the Samoan dance for dignitaries in prominent events, international/national/district/village gatherings, etc

'IE TOGA (fine mat)

The highborn son or daughter of a Samoan chief would dress in full festive regalia for a taualuga performance. This usually consisted of a traditional finely woven 'ie toga or fine mat, decorated with the prized feathers of the "sega" that was wrapped around the body.  The mat was secured with a tapa sash called a "vala" or "fusi" and it was not uncommon for several layers of mats and tapa to be worn. Today, most fine mats are bordered with dyed chicken feathers, far larger and less delicate than the traditional mats now seen only very rarely in Samoa, Both the dancer and the mats were generously anointed with scented coconut oil to give a cosmetic sheen.

'ULA NIFO (necklace)

'Ula nifo is made out of whale bones or sometimes a wild boar. it is worn during tradintional dances such as the taualuga, sasā, faataupati, ma'ulu'ulu. it is also made for male and female.