Sunday 7 March 2021

Samoan siapo at our local hospital...

Here's another siapo (tapa) that I found hanging on the walls of our local hospital when I was walking around.

It didn't have any acknowledgment about the source of the siapo i.e. who gifted it and where it came from and any title (if any).

It looks heavily influenced by Samoan siapo designs as I can see similar iconography in the stars and the leaf-like designs.

The colouring is also similar to what looks like plant-based dyes that are found in Samoa. The lineal designs also look a lot like those found on Samoa siapo.

I surmise that it is a Samoan siapo of a more contemporary design and somehow the local hospital got a hold of it and has displayed it. There were other artforms but this was one that I particularly liked as my art is also influenced by tapa designs.

I think this is neat as when someone like myself or others with Samoan heritage sees this, they will know that they are acknowledged through having an artform displayed albeit a smaller version of what one might see displayed in Samoa...


 

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