Marquesas Islands Tapa Beater - SOLD
Early 19th century
Length 12"
Provenance: Gary Seering, Aiea, HI
White tapas are made from the bark of mulberry tree(ute - broussoneta papyrifera) , yellow tapas from bread fruit trees (tumu mei - artocarpus altilis)and brown/red tapas are made from the banyan tree(aoa - ficus prolixa).
White tapa cloth was used by the highly ranked people , whereas the banyan tapa cloth was used mostly by priests.
The process consisted of tearing off the bark and then scraping in order to keep only the interior.
After softening in water , the bark is beaten with wooden beaters made from a hard wood such as iron wood(toa - casuarina equisetifolia).
The bark is then folded over in a few layers and re-beaten to obtain a good cloth. A rarely seen item in the market place.
Early 19th century
Length 12"
Provenance: Gary Seering, Aiea, HI
White tapas are made from the bark of mulberry tree(ute - broussoneta papyrifera) , yellow tapas from bread fruit trees (tumu mei - artocarpus altilis)and brown/red tapas are made from the banyan tree(aoa - ficus prolixa).
White tapa cloth was used by the highly ranked people , whereas the banyan tapa cloth was used mostly by priests.
The process consisted of tearing off the bark and then scraping in order to keep only the interior.
After softening in water , the bark is beaten with wooden beaters made from a hard wood such as iron wood(toa - casuarina equisetifolia).
The bark is then folded over in a few layers and re-beaten to obtain a good cloth. A rarely seen item in the market place.
Early 19th century
Length 12"
Provenance: Gary Seering, Aiea, HI
White tapas are made from the bark of mulberry tree(ute - broussoneta papyrifera) , yellow tapas from bread fruit trees (tumu mei - artocarpus altilis)and brown/red tapas are made from the banyan tree(aoa - ficus prolixa).
White tapa cloth was used by the highly ranked people , whereas the banyan tapa cloth was used mostly by priests.
The process consisted of tearing off the bark and then scraping in order to keep only the interior.
After softening in water , the bark is beaten with wooden beaters made from a hard wood such as iron wood(toa - casuarina equisetifolia).
The bark is then folded over in a few layers and re-beaten to obtain a good cloth. A rarely seen item in the market place.