In many Pacific cultures, weaving, sewing and producing bark cloth are considered to be far more than handicrafts. In Tongan tradition, they're regarded as treasures and making them is a way of life for women.

In New Zealand, Clement Paligaru found an exhibition which celebrates the work of Tongan women who are continuing the craft making culture in their adopted country.

Clement Paligaru: The textile traditions of Tonga are known as koloa. This exhibition celebrates the work of local Tongan women.
Charmaine 'Illaiu, exhibition curator: What you see in essence is teuteu, which is to adorn a space. It's a customary way of adorning a space using koloa which is our cultural wealth for Tongan women which includes, fibre mats, tapa cloth, bark cloth. And you also have this development in New Zealand with the quilt.

Clement Paligaru: Fresh Gallery is a contemporary art space. But the koloa exhibition avoids the modern art gallery treatment of just hanging works on stark white walls.

Emma Tavola, gallery co-ordinator: These artforms are for them. Culturally, its part of who they are. It's not just something they just put on a wall. It's worn, its smelt, it's experienced, in the manner that you would see in a Tongan home or a Tongan event.

Charmaine 'Illaiu: It is traditional and yet still contemporary. Because what the women are showing here is the development of their koloa, as migrants from the islands to New Zealand to an urban environment.

So what we have here is a katateiu. Katateiu is a gift basket that's taken to funerals, births, wedding ceremonies. It traditionally held coconut oil bottles and other fragrances.

Clement Paligaru: Which is traditional material, but you have new material here.

Charmaine 'Illaiu: We do. And this is also katateiu, it talks about the Tongan diaspora, it's talking about migration, and the new urban environment and about these new influences, but also the readily available material that these Tongan women have, that they use to adorn their new katateiu.

Clement Paligaru: It looks fantastic.

Charmaine 'Illaiu: It does. Yeah ...and it's still a kateteiu.