The kaftan awaits preparation in the museum’s textiles room. Photo / Karen Hughes / Whanganui Regional Museum
The Whanganui Regional Museum is pleased to announce the latest edition of Ko te Kākahu o te Marama - Outfit of the Month.
To be unveiled next week, the outfit chosen for display during February is a flowing woman’s kaftan originating from Nigeria. It is made of satin cotton and
features a colourful tie-dye pattern. The style of dyeing on this garment is done by the people of Egbaland in southwest Nigeria.
The kaftan was brought to Whanganui in the early 1980s by the late Dame Miriam Dell and gifted to her daughter, Sharon Dell. Senior curator for the museum, Libby Sharpe, says at that time, kaftans became popular, particularly with women, for sophisticated events such as cocktail evenings, dinner parties and dining out.
Sharon Dell was director of the Whanganui Regional Museum from 1995 to 2008.
“Shortly before she left the museum, Sharon donated a significant collection of clothing from the 1970s and 80s to our growing museum textiles collection. She was very aware of the need to do contemporary collecting.
