A large Ngatu cloth (Tongan tapa), rectangular Tongan barkcloth (likely paper mulberry tree) decorated with wildlife motifs and colonial symbols in brownish black on natural-coloured ground. The pieces of bark were beaten with a mallet, widened and joined together to make a large cloth. In contemporary Tongan communities, ngatu are a symbol of wealth and are gifted for special occasions such as weddings. 20th century. 3950 x 180 cm