Kapa (bark cloth)

Object status:
Deaccessioned
Museum number:
11-37049
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21110037049
Accession number:
Acc.1490
Description:
Tapa cloth sample, with design of wavy white and red bands with black diamond filler. Red bands painted with red vegetable dye; black designs achieved by stamping with charcoal dye. This "kapa" made from thin "wauke" (Brigham "waoke" p.210) or paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (pp.119-121). Reddish color from "noni" (morinda citrifolia) root. (fide Barbara (Kenani) Burns, 3 Aug. 1983).
Donor:
Mary Biddle Elliott Ponting
Collection place:
Island of Hawai'i, Hawaiian Windward Islands, Hawaiian Islands
Verbatim coll. place:
Hawaii
Culture or time period:
Hawaiian
Collector:
Mrs. Herbert E. Gregory
Collection date:
unknown
Materials:
Tapa (bark cloth)
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Textile samples
Function:
8.3 For Manufacturing
Accession date:
1962
Context of use:
Clothing.
Department:
Oceania
Dimensions:
width 16 centimeters and length 20 centimeters
Comment:
Made and decorated by women" Native name and meaning: "Kapa" = 'the blow' The beaten thing. Barkcloth." Comments: "Dyes made by men." "This a rare example of positive space made from negative space via the red tinted wavy line (every other one) formed between rows of the stamped design. See also Lowie #11-37051, back of card." (fide Barbara (Kanani) Burns, August 3, 1983). " "Kapa" is the fabric of Polynesia. The highly decorated "kapa" was, most notably for woman's "wrap around" or rolled on skirts and was made by the "noble" and "royal" women (chiefs). These lengths/skirts, "pa'u", sometimes reached thirty or more yards and were entirely decorated. Men's loincloths, capes for both sexes, ritual (white) "kapa", red for certain priests, kites, wrappings, bundles for religious "wealth", wrappings for sacred bones, layer bed covers - these and many more were uses for "kapa". Taxes paid; "kapa" required." Published: Brigham, "Ka Hana Kapa", facing p. 212, PLATE 22; mentioned p. 210. Kooijman, Simon "Tapa in Polynesia", p 162, Fig. 135 - same kapa but a different specimen, "Bishop Mus., 10345." Conservation: Colors are fugitive; keep away from light. Will embrittle; keep away from heat. Eaten by many insect pests and cryptogamic growths. Drape, don't hang; roll, don't fold. USE NO LIQUIDS TO CLEAN. Lie piece flat on large table, secured by a nylon net. Use a hand vacuum and clean piece through the net. Light, soft brush OK on heavy "kapa". References: Brigham, "Ka Hana Kapa", facing p. 212, PLATE 22; mentioned p. 210.
Loans:
S1963-1964 #51: Design Department (UC Berkeley) (November 27, 1963–January 11, 1964), S1967-1968 #66: Design Department (UC Berkeley)/Joanne Segal Brandford (December 5, 1967–December 7, 1967), S1976-1977 #35: California Academy of Sciences (December 16, 1976–May 31, 1978), and S1994-1995 #10: SFO Museum (April 7, 1995–July 26, 1995)
Images:
Hearst Museum object 1 of 3 titled Kapa (bark cloth), accession number 11-37049, described as Tapa cloth sample, with design of wavy white and red bands with black diamond filler. Red bands painted with red vegetable dye; black designs achieved by stamping with charcoal dye. This "kapa" made from thin "wauke" (Brigham "waoke" p.210) or paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (pp.119-121). Reddish color from "noni" (morinda citrifolia) root. (fide Barbara (Kenani) Burns, 3 Aug. 1983).Hearst Museum object 2 of 3 titled Kapa (bark cloth), accession number 11-37049, described as Tapa cloth sample, with design of wavy white and red bands with black diamond filler. Red bands painted with red vegetable dye; black designs achieved by stamping with charcoal dye. This "kapa" made from thin "wauke" (Brigham "waoke" p.210) or paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (pp.119-121). Reddish color from "noni" (morinda citrifolia) root. (fide Barbara (Kenani) Burns, 3 Aug. 1983).Hearst Museum object 3 of 3 titled Kapa (bark cloth), accession number 11-37049, described as Tapa cloth sample, with design of wavy white and red bands with black diamond filler. Red bands painted with red vegetable dye; black designs achieved by stamping with charcoal dye. This "kapa" made from thin "wauke" (Brigham "waoke" p.210) or paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (pp.119-121). Reddish color from "noni" (morinda citrifolia) root. (fide Barbara (Kenani) Burns, 3 Aug. 1983).

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