Kapa (bark cloth)

Object status:
Deaccessioned
Museum number:
11-37051
Permalink:
ark:/21549/hm21110037051
Accession number:
Acc.1490
Description:
Tapa cloth sample. Red and white geometric designs in three bands against a field of black with white dots. Barkcloth. Stamped design in charcoal dye. Made of "wauke" (Brigham, p. 210 "waoke") or paper mulberry, Broussonelia papyrifera (pages119–121).
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:
length 11 centimeters and width 7.8 centimeters
Comment:
Kapa ke'oke'o" Brigham, p. 256. (Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum #2469, Honolulu)". "Made and decorated by women Dyes made by men." Native name and meaning: "Kapa" - 'the blow' The beaten thing. Barkcloth." "The stamp was wood (too large a pattern for bamboo); approx. 1" x 1 1/3." "See cat. card # 11-37049". "The Lowie specimen came from the Bishop's piece(s). NB. Close examination of this particular piece (11-37051) reveals that it is the exact piece reproduced as part of the frontispiece to Brigham's "KA HANA KAPA". The reproduction is in exact scale and the design irregularities and peculiarities match this specimen. This specimen Fig. B was cut from the piece shown on p. 210, Fig. 129 "KAPA. B.P.B.M. 2469", Fig. A; negative space figures X, Y & Z correspond. Design achieved by adjacent impressions of a carved stamp, p. 211, Fig. 130. Description of this specimen, p. 210 and p. 256." "For discussion re: origin of Hawaiian stamps of this sort see KOOIJMAN, Simon, "Tapa in Polynesia", pp 133-139." (fide Barbara (Kanani) Burns, August 3, 1983). [See drawing on card.] Published: "Brigham "Ka Hana Kapa", p. 210-211. Fig. 130 Reconstruction of stamp for this design; Frontispiece, PLATE Z." References: "Brigham, "Ka Hana Kapa", p. 210, Fig. 129, p. 211, Fig 130. this is part of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum specimen #2469 - or it is a photo of the whole piece.
Loans:
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 2 titled Kapa (bark cloth), accession number 11-37051, described as Tapa cloth sample. Red and white geometric designs in three bands against a field of black with white dots. Barkcloth. Stamped design in charcoal dye. Made of "wauke" (Brigham, p. 210 "waoke") or paper mulberry, Broussonelia papyrifera (pages119–121).Hearst Museum object 2 of 2 titled Kapa (bark cloth), accession number 11-37051, described as Tapa cloth sample. Red and white geometric designs in three bands against a field of black with white dots. Barkcloth. Stamped design in charcoal dye. Made of "wauke" (Brigham, p. 210 "waoke") or paper mulberry, Broussonelia papyrifera (pages119–121).

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