Afa (Basket; Tauga; afo sa'a)

Afa. Bag. For carrying personal items. Woven from voivoi (pandanus), double-layered, rectangular in shape, consisting of four sides, lid and base (two sides, base and lid are patterned). Commencement from base for both inner and outer layers. Inner layer consists of strips of voivoi woven out in check. Outer layer is finely woven from voivoi with the front and back sides, lid and base decorated using strips of somo (dyed-black voivoi) and natural coloured strips of voivoi, arranged to create checkered and geometric patterns. Firm rim around opening and lid of rubu. Rim consists of strips of voivoi wrapped around a base possibly made of wood, bitu (bamboo) or dogo (mangrove). Latch made of strips of voivoi, tali va (4-ply braid) is threaded and knotted near end of lid. Latch is secured with a button made of somo, interwoven into upper area of front side. Two braids, made using natural coloured voivoi and somo, form the handles that are interwoven into the sides, spanning the opening of