Tongan Tapa Panel
Tapa (kapa in Hawai’i) is a fiber technology indigenous to Polynesia and Micronesia, probably first developed by the ancient Lapita culture thousands of years ago. Tapa “cloth” is not woven, but made by carefully-preparing the bark of the paper mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera, first image).
In Tonga, the inner bark of the hiapo (paper mulberry) is separated, then beaten on a wooden block to flatten and spread the fibers. The resulting paper (feta’aki), is pieced together to form larger rectangular sheets, the ngatu. Usually, the ngatu are then placed on wooden printing blocks called kupesi, which are covered with geometric patterns made of cocoanut-fiber cordage, soaked in orange-brown pigment from the koka tree (Bischofia javanica). Once the basic pattern is applied, the designs are embellished with more koka and perhaps the dark sepia tongo pigment, made from the mangrove (Rhizophora mangle).
The work of making and decorating tapa has traditionally been done by women, working together in groups. The process continues to be important to community-building, intergenerational bonding, and social cohesion generally.
Note that this older tapa consists of two similar, attached ngatu, one bearing the number “34.” This indicates that it was once part of a much larger tapa, made for a ceremonial occasion, such as a wedding, funeral, or some kind of commemoration (see last image, of a large ceremonial tapa cloth). After the event, the tapa would be dismantled and distributed to the community. Tapa cloths are useful for decoration, clothing, etc, but they are mostly circulated as gifts.
51" x 34"
Tapa (kapa in Hawai’i) is a fiber technology indigenous to Polynesia and Micronesia, probably first developed by the ancient Lapita culture thousands of years ago. Tapa “cloth” is not woven, but made by carefully-preparing the bark of the paper mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera, first image).
In Tonga, the inner bark of the hiapo (paper mulberry) is separated, then beaten on a wooden block to flatten and spread the fibers. The resulting paper (feta’aki), is pieced together to form larger rectangular sheets, the ngatu. Usually, the ngatu are then placed on wooden printing blocks called kupesi, which are covered with geometric patterns made of cocoanut-fiber cordage, soaked in orange-brown pigment from the koka tree (Bischofia javanica). Once the basic pattern is applied, the designs are embellished with more koka and perhaps the dark sepia tongo pigment, made from the mangrove (Rhizophora mangle).
The work of making and decorating tapa has traditionally been done by women, working together in groups. The process continues to be important to community-building, intergenerational bonding, and social cohesion generally.
Note that this older tapa consists of two similar, attached ngatu, one bearing the number “34.” This indicates that it was once part of a much larger tapa, made for a ceremonial occasion, such as a wedding, funeral, or some kind of commemoration (see last image, of a large ceremonial tapa cloth). After the event, the tapa would be dismantled and distributed to the community. Tapa cloths are useful for decoration, clothing, etc, but they are mostly circulated as gifts.
51" x 34"
Tapa (kapa in Hawai’i) is a fiber technology indigenous to Polynesia and Micronesia, probably first developed by the ancient Lapita culture thousands of years ago. Tapa “cloth” is not woven, but made by carefully-preparing the bark of the paper mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera, first image).
In Tonga, the inner bark of the hiapo (paper mulberry) is separated, then beaten on a wooden block to flatten and spread the fibers. The resulting paper (feta’aki), is pieced together to form larger rectangular sheets, the ngatu. Usually, the ngatu are then placed on wooden printing blocks called kupesi, which are covered with geometric patterns made of cocoanut-fiber cordage, soaked in orange-brown pigment from the koka tree (Bischofia javanica). Once the basic pattern is applied, the designs are embellished with more koka and perhaps the dark sepia tongo pigment, made from the mangrove (Rhizophora mangle).
The work of making and decorating tapa has traditionally been done by women, working together in groups. The process continues to be important to community-building, intergenerational bonding, and social cohesion generally.
Note that this older tapa consists of two similar, attached ngatu, one bearing the number “34.” This indicates that it was once part of a much larger tapa, made for a ceremonial occasion, such as a wedding, funeral, or some kind of commemoration (see last image, of a large ceremonial tapa cloth). After the event, the tapa would be dismantled and distributed to the community. Tapa cloths are useful for decoration, clothing, etc, but they are mostly circulated as gifts.
51" x 34"