Tapa is the common name for cloth made from the inner bark of trees. Throughout the Pacific islands, the paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) is most often used to make barkcloth. Tapa is made by beating strips of bark together into a larger fabric using wood tools on a wood or stone anvil. Plain tapa is usually white or cream colored and is decorated in several ways, depending on the island: freehand painting, transferring a pattern onto the tapa with a rubbing process involving ochre, creating a watermark with a wood beater, and printing designs using a carved bamboo stick. To paint or print designs on the tapa, dye was traditionally made using parts from native plants (e.g. root, bark, flower, etc.). Tapa is used for clothing, bedding, floor coverings, swaddling, and for ceremonial purposes. On Saturday May 14th from 10:00 am- 3:00 pm. We will learn about tapa and decorate pieces of fabric using tapa decorating techniques. Program is free with museum admission. Admission is $10 for adults, members and children age 17 and under are free.
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