Tupenu is the Tongan term for a wrapped garment also called a

sarong A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid o ...

lungi The lungi is a type of sarong that originated in the Indian Subcontinent. The Lungi, which usually multicoloured, is a men's skirt usually tied around the lower waist below the navel. it can be worn as casual wear and night wear, in places and ...

, or lava-lava, worn through much of

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...

, Arabian peninsula, the Horn of Africa and

Oceania Oceania (, , ) is a geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern and Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of and a population of around 44.5 million ...

. It is analogous to the

kilt A kilt ( gd, fèileadh ; Irish: ''féileadh'') is a garment resembling a wrap-around knee-length skirt, made of twill woven worsted wool with heavy pleats at the sides and back and traditionally a tartan pattern. Originating in the Scottish ...

worn in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

. The tupenu worn by women is wide enough to cover the body between the waist and ankles, and long enough to wrap securely around the waist. The standard width of cloth yardage (45 inches) is generally wide enough, so a tupenu can be made in a matter of minutes by cutting and wrapping cloth from the bolt. Women wear a knee length dress, or ''kofu'', over the tupenu. On dress occasions, women wear matching kofu and tupenu, sewn from the same yardage. Fancy tupenus are often slightly tailored, with darts sewn into the top, so that they will fit the body more closely. On ceremonial occasions, women wear a ta'ovala, or finely woven pandanus mat, over the kofu and tupenu. The kiekie, a kind of grass or string

skirt A skirt is the lower part of a dress or a separate outer garment that covers a person from the waist downwards. At its simplest, a skirt can be a draped garment made out of a single piece of fabric (such as pareos). However, most skirts ar ...

, is an acceptable, comfortable alternative to the ta'ovala on most occasions. The tupenu worn by men is wide enough to cover the body between the waist and knees, and long enough to wrap securely around the waist. For work and casual wear, any piece of cloth will do. On dress occasions, men will wear tupenu tailored like Western wrap skirts and made from suit material. These tupenu coordinate with Western suit-jackets. Usually the formal tupenu will be covered with a ta'ovala worn as a sign of respect. The man's ta'ovala is analogous to the Western necktie.

References

{{Reflist Polynesian clothing Skirts History of Oceanian clothing