Description: This listing is for a delicate piece of hand-painted artwork: a Tonga Ngatu Bark Cloth tapestry/wall hanging.This incredible item came from the estate of an older woman who had been quite the world traveler; she had collected textiles, art, ironwork, carvings, porcelain and this exquisite piece of Tapa cloth. Also known as Ngatu, one can find this type of handwork done primarily on Fiji and Samoa as well as Tonga.This Polynesian Pacific Island painting is nearly square measuring 33 x 34 (or approximately 838 mm x 863 mm) and is in very good condition for its age. It features Tongas flag and coat of arms in the center in classic shades of rust, cream and deep dark brown along with geometric triangular patterns. The crest is the Royal Crown of Tonga within an olive branch. The three swords represent the three dynasties or lines of the kings of Tonga. Three stars represent the main island groups of Tonga. The dove with the olive branch symbolizes the wish of Gods peace to reign in Tonga forever. The Crown symbolizes the ruling monarchy (the King of Tonga). The text along the bottom of the shield reads: KO E OTUA MO TOGA KO HOKU TOFIA meaning God and Tonga are my inheritance. If youve noticed that there is no N in Tonga on the shield its not a mistake, we understand it was simply the painters choice to use the old orthography. The bark cloth was hand rubbed over a wooden drum covered with coconut front midrib stencils to transfer the chosen pattern and then local women followed up by accentuating the faintly visible stencil marks with paints made from natural materials.Its an amazing feat! Here is your chance to display a one-of-a-kind piece of Polynesian Art on a wall in your home without having to travel all the way to Tonga! As eBay has changed the rules regarding payment options, payment for this listing will be by Paypal only. Even thougheBay isperiodically adding "Best Offer" to listings, we are not accepting offers at this time. Buyer pays sales tax where applicable.
Price: 125 USD
Location: Shelbyville, Indiana
End Time: 2023-10-12T22:19:29.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Provenance: Ownership History Not Available
Country/Region of Manufacture: Tonga
Culture: Pacific Islands
Handmade: Yes
