Kapa

Kapa, also known as tapa, is a traditional barkcloth produced in many Pacific Island cultures. The Hawaiian form is typically called kapa, while across Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, and other islands the cloth is commonly known as tapa. The material is made from the inner bark of mulberry trees, most often the paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), though other local species may be used. The process begins with harvesting the bark, removing the outer layers, and soaking and beating the fibers so they can be separated and drawn out into thin sheets. The sheets are laid out, pressed, and dried; they may be bleached or softened with additional beating. Colors and designs are created with natural pigments derived from plants, minerals, or charcoal, and patterns are achieved by rubbing, stamping, or pressing the cloth with carved implements or combs.

Traditionally kapa served as clothing, blankets, robes, or ceremonial textiles, and it could bear intricate geometric or symbolic motifs. In many communities, kapa making was a respected craft, frequently performed by women and exchanged as gifts or during rites of passage and social exchanges. Following European contact and the introduction of woven cloth, production declined in most areas, but modern revivals and museum programs have renewed interest in the technique, history, and aesthetics of kapa.