film

Little Film About Tivaevae, A

User Rating	1 2 3 4 5 [rate this film]
Producer(s)	BBCTV/OPEN UNIVERSITY
Release Date	1999
Runtime	24 min
Youth Media	n

Film Description

Introduces viewers to the rich, complex nature of
the Polynesian culture and the characteristics that make it unique.

“. . . there's an old saying, if you haven't got a Tivaevae you're not a women, so it's a must to have a Tivaevae. And making Tivaevae is also an art.”

The story of the Tivaevae is an excellent example of how the traditions & art of a culture form a relevant link from the past to current life and the future.
Tivaevae are the gloriously bright applique' or pieced needlework bed covers made by women of the Cook Islands. They connect families through the female line.

While they use skills probably first introduced to the Pacific by missionary wives in the nineteenth
century, they also draw on ideas about art and design which predate European contact. Tivaevae are prized possessions and often are used as gifts on significant occasions such as weddings, funerals and other rites of passage. They are a form of wealth created and transacted by women.