For my collection, I will be focusing on how significant Pacific cultural clothing (in specifically Samoan clothing) has changed over time and the lack of knowledge that today's generation (including myself) has on the originality of different types of items of clothing and their meaning.  

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Why am I doing this?

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Well, during the lockdown, I began practising and learning how to Siva with a Nifo Oti (Samoan traditional dance with a knife) In doing so I wondered, why in the world do we even dance with a knife? like what was the meaning behind it all? Whilst trying to teach myself how to Siva through 3-minute youtube videos that have like 240p quality - I thought, how many other young Pacific Island girls are out there trying to find meaning to what they do and wear in their culture. I will never forget when I was brought up and raised in Samoa, learning my language and our traditions every day in hopes to pass it on to future generations. However, migrating to New Zealand became a barrier as I slowly lost my mother tongue and at the time was too young to know it at all. Now that I am the young woman I am today I want to know more about my culture and to also help other people like me.

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The main focus of my collection will be 10 different Pacific Cultural clothing that is significant in today's generation and has changed over time. A few theme's I will be discussing are, lack of knowledge about our traditional clothing, loss of language and culture over time due to a modern society take over and discovering whom we are by not forgetting our roots. 

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I hope that in creating this collection it will not only help me but also my fellow young Pacific women and men who sit and think I will never be able to learn more about my roots. 

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Photo image in video : Hibiscus - https://www.google.com/search?q=hibiscus&safe=active&rlz=1C1CHBF_enNZ889NZ889&sxsrf=ALeKk00h2QSxv7GXbLOod-WZKMKLUmWKiw:1589888968546&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwin9s757b_pAhUr8XMBHQfoADsQ_AUoAXoECCAQAw&biw=1280&bih=561

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