Napkin

Cotton napkin with large colorful flowers embroidered in the four corners, light green stitched border and pink crocheted edging. An embroidered message in the center reads “Mua memin inet upew aaru pingko?” translated as “Well, girl, when will I say bingo? [meaning “when will we make love?”]” Made in 1964 for the collector by Yomiko Raken, the best embroiderer in the village of Wonip and possibly the last person who still knew how to do the German style embroidery once taught by German missionaries at the St. Joseph school on Tol Island. Typical designs and messages were included at the request of the collector. At that time having embroidered things like these were a luxury and a slight status symbol, often given as Christmas presents. They also sometimes conveyed messages of unrequited love.