Context (CMS Context)
From the collection of Professor Hūfanga Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina. Presented to MAA on the 8 July, 2015, with the other kava cup (ipukava 2015.298 and nose flute 215.296,) "by Professor Hūfanga Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina, Kenneth Tuai, Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai, Meleseini Haitelenisia Fifita ‘O Lakepa Lolohea Tuai and Akesiumeimoa Tu‘ulaikemipilis Tupou Tuai to Dr Anita Herle and Rachel Hand, MAA, when Kolokesa and Professor Māhina were there conducting inquiry and research on the Tongan collection for their Creative New Zealand-funded book project on Tongan arts. [N.B. Akesiumeimoana Tu‘ulaikemipilis Tupou Tuai, born in 2011, was named in rememberance of her beloved grandfather the late Tēvita Tofavaha Tuai, who was a member of the 2010 travel party to MAA, literally translated as “Returning-from-the-ocean-after-fishing [and] Setting-foot-at-Cambridge Tupou Tuai”].
Presented in sincere appreciation of the lasting relationships with MAA, Cambridge University, where Sēmisi Fetokai Potauaine conducted his Commonwealth Connections International Art Residency in May to July 2010. Part of the art residency of Sēmisi involved an art exhibition and associated catalogue that were curated and produced jointly by Professor Māhina, Dr Jocelyne Dudding and Kolokesa. This was supported by Trinity College, Cambridge University, the administrator of the Arthington-Davy Fund, which generously provided Sēmisi a scholarship for his Master of Architecture study at the University of Auckland, as well as financial assistance for Sēmisi, Kolokesa and Professor Māhina in their involvements in Sēmisi’s art residency amongst other things.
The two ipukava, namely, ipukava ‘uli [black-coloured cup] and ipukava tea [white-coloured cup], were gifted to Professor Māhina by his fellow kava drinker friends a few years ago, both of which were made part of his collection. The cups are used for kava drinking. Sadly, though, the names of the tufunga ngaohiipukava [material artists of kava-cup-making] who made them are not known.
The ipukava ‘uli was made from niumotu‘u, which are mature coconuts, and ipukava tea from niumata, green coconuts. Apart from vau ipu kava or scraping kava cups, the ipukava ‘uli is made more black by burying them in black sea mud. The other Tongan word for tea [as in ao-tea-loa / long-white-clouds] is hina, both meaning “white,” which is a varition of kula or red."

From notes by Professor Hūfanga Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina

From notes by Professor Hūfanga Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina
Event Date 15/12/2015
Author: maa

Description (CMS Description)
A white kava cup, ipukava tea (white-coloured cup), made from niumata, green coconuts. Description by Professor Hūfanga Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina
Event Date 15/12/2015
Author: maa