KoloaJewellery

Established by husband and wife team Fire and Sonia Fonua as a way of highlighting the beauty and significance of ngatu (tapa or mulberry cloth) and fala (fine, woven mats) Koloa is a business that focuses on creating beautiful personal adornments out of these traditional taonga. The designs are all made from repurposed ngatu and fala suspended in resin to preserve and highlight these important artforms. Ngatu and fala remain valuable cultural objects for Tongan people. They are handmade by women and decorated with designs that tell a story about their origin or connection to a time or place. Koloa means treasure in Tongan and the adornments that Fire and Sonia create by repurposing ngatu and fala and collaborating with Tongan artists are truly jewels and pieces of history to be treasured.