An exhibition featuring the traditional headdress, or Tuiga, opens Saturday, September 20, at the Jean P. Haydon Museum.
The Tuiga Exhibition will include over 40 Tuiga, all crafted by Tuifaasisina Seiuli Korina Lee, owner and creative director of Le Taupou Manaia Dance Academy.
Tuifaasisina says she wants to share with the community the beauty of this measina—the traditional four-piece tuiga fafau or ceremonial headdress.
She hopes the exhibition will result in an appreciation of the cultural importance of the Tuiga, and that it will be preserved for generations to come.
The Tuiga that will be displayed have been hand-crafted by Tuifaasisina since 1999.
They include Tuiga worn by the taupou for the royal ava ceremony welcoming King Charles and Queen Camila to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa, and those worn by former Miss American Samoa, Miss Samoa, and Miss Pacific Islands, as well as high chiefs of American Samoa.
Tuifaasisina’s work is well known beyond the shores of American Samoa. One of her Tuiga is exhibited at Auckland War Memorial Museum. And she has received invitations to showcase her measina collection at the Auckland University, Massey University, Mangere Art Center, and Pataka Museum in New Zealand early next year.
The official opening of the Tuiga Exhibition is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Jean P. Haydon Museum. The exhibition will be on display for one week.
