Unknown artist (Tongan)
Tapa Cloth (ngatu), early 20th century
mulberry fiber, pigment, arrowroot binder
33” x 22.5”
Tapa (or ngatu) is a kind of barkcloth made from paper mulberry trees in the islands of the Pacific Ocean. To create the cloth, artists strip the outer layer of mulberry bark from the inner layer, which is then left to dry in the sun before being soaked and beaten into thin sheets. Often, the women of a whole village work collaboratively to fabricate these sheets prior to their decoration with repeating geometric patterns and nature-based motifs such as fish and plants. Tapa may be worn on formal occasions, but is more frequently used for decoration or given to others as gifts at major life events or ceremonies. In that latter respect, tapa carries significance as a social currency—a Tongan family without any tapa at home or available to donate at important events is considered poor, regardless of their actual financial status. Tapa then represents the transformation of natural materials in the service of social enrichment.