Rasta Gold and Camouflage Mask

These face masks are produced by Tongan artist/designer Czarina Wilson. Key iconography include nifo koula (grills, gold caps on teeth), a popular form of adornment associated with Tongans; and the Tongan national flag, a symbol of pride for the Tongan community.   Wilson lost her daytime job in retail during the COVID-19 lockdown and was unable to proceed with her 2020 business plans. Mask-making kept her afloat during the national lockdown and the continued Covid-19 restrictions in the period after. Wilson distributed her masks nationally and to Pacific communities in Australia and the United States

Czarina Wilson, Tonga/New Zealand

May 2020

Designed in Glen Innes, Auckland, New Zealand

Made in Glen Innes, Auckland, New Zealand

Printed cotton drill with cotton poplin lining, elastic straps

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
FE013563