“GO NAKI” is the message marked on the bright yellow soles of these jandals. It makes a bold statement, not just of fashion but of the wave of brash patriotic pride that has washed over Taranaki during the past few years.
These jandals, marketed as thongs to appease the official “jandal” license holder, were hocked off by Kingsway Menswear in 2002 for supporters of the Taranaki rugby team. While the $10 price tag would have been a snip for Ferdie supporters they must have been a little draughty for those wearing them at the ground on cold winter days.
The jandals may seem an odd thing for Puke Ariki to collect to some but they represent one small expression of popular Taranaki culture which will prove to be a source of information, and probably some amusement, for generations to come.
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