Traditional Tongan clothing by rachael cox
traditional Tongan clothing
In Tonga when wearing clothes men and women must cover there knees. Women must also cover there elbows. Men are usually dressed in pants or a Tupenu (cloth wrap skirt). Short shorts can be worn if you are playing sports. This goes for swimming to.
In Tonga it is against the law for men and women to walk in public without a shirt on. If you are a traveler staying at tourist accommodation then this law doesn't apply.
Clothing materials
They make there clothing out of a bark cloth called ngatu. This was used not only to make cloths but also blankets, wedding costumes, dancing costumes, gift exchanges, and interior house decorations. There are specific ngatu for special occasions: Black ngatu uli, for example, is used for funerals, while ngatu with certain designs reflect high rank.