This piece tells the powerful legend behind the name of Samoa’s sacred fine mat, the ‘ie toga, sometimes called Tasi Ae Afe.
Painted with 3,000 woven marks, each stroke represents a year of continuous Samoan presence in the islands, and the mat that once saved an entire people.
The story follows Tauolosi‘i, a woman taken during the Tongan occupation. Wrapped in her ancestral mat, she pleaded for mercy before the king of Tonga. Her mat was unmatched in beauty, and it moved the king to spare her life and release the Samoan captives.
This may be why we call it the ‘ie toga—a mat taken to Tonga, and brought back with life.
✦ Available in:
• Archival Paper Print (ready for framing)
• Gallery-Quality Canvas (ready to hang)
✦ Details:
• Limited quantities available – this piece will not be reprinted
Tasi ae afe. One, but worth a thousand. Let this story live in your home.
