Embedded Nature - Technology of Tapamaking

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Decorated kapa fragment with four smaller cut samples, Hawaii. 90-17-70/48434.9


 

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Strip for printing tapa (kupesi). 99-15-70/53872


 

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Shell for first scraping (le asi), Samoa. 99-15-70/53883


 

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Red dye from stone (ele) used for tapa printing, Samoa. 99-15-70/53878


 

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Piece of wood with inner-bark fibers, Hawaii. 99-12-70/53644


 

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Wooden tapa beater, Hawaii. 27-5-70/D2904.1


 

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Early Fijian tapa cloth. 67-24-70/618.1


Barkcloth-making is very similar to papermaking, which originated in Asia, and it is a multifaceted process. On most of the islands, women produce the barkcloth. Depending on island resources and traditions, some of the steps are carried out by a woman working alone, while others involve several working together. The process and end product differ from island to island and result in a variety of traditions.

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Beating bark to make tapa, Tonga. H24513

Generally, tapa production requires:

  • Cultivating and harvesting raw materials
  • ​​​​​Cutting the trees and separating the bark
  • Soaking, scraping, cleaning, and preparing the inner bark
  • Beating the inner bark into a flat sheet
  • Joining the flattened, beaten sheets to make a thicker and/or larger cloth
  • Decorating by various methods
  • Stitching and/or constructing for specific uses