living
culture
A PIECE OF PNG:
Tapa cloth HAT IS IT? W Tapa is literally beaten out of nature – a traditional cloth made from the inner bark of paper mulberry or, sometimes, breadfruit trees. HERE IS IT MADE? W Most commonly, tapa cloth is associated with the Oro Province. The villages of the Maisin people in the Collingwood Bay area form the epicentre of commercial production. Their tapa cloth has distinctive black and brickred designs. Tapa is also produced in the islands of Melanesia. However, what is little known is that the traditional manufacturing of tapa cloth was, and still is, practised in other parts of PNG. Bark cloth is made in certain Highlands regions, such as by the Fasu and Foi people who reside near Lake Kutubu. They utilise larger sheets as undecorated rain capes, predominantly worn by women in times of bad weather, as well as in traditional dances and ceremonies. Tapa has also been found in other provinces such as Milne Bay and New Ireland, where other colours such as yellow and green have been used in the decoration, although these are rarer nowadays.
WHO MAKES IT? Tapa was traditionally the domain of women, who were the custodians of the intellectual property associated with tattoo and tapa designs as well as the principal bark cloth manufacturers. HOW IS IT MADE? The inner bark layer is peeled from the trunks of harvested trees and alternately soaked in water and beaten, to gradually produce a thin sheet. Strips of tapa are often overlaid crosswise and beaten again to produce larger and stronger pieces of blank cloth to suit particular end uses and designs. Tapa beating is carried out using a hardwood or stone tool to flatten the fibres against a smooth log or similar. OW IS IT H DECORATED? Oro tapa is decorated using dyes made from plants and other natural materials, using a variety of designs – some being clan or family specific while others are general or ‘trade’ designs. Other designs have a religious significance after the activities of the Anglican church which
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incorporated much traditional costume and dress into church services. Oro tapa designs are usually abstract, representing totemic plants or animals and presented in repeated geometric series or patterns. The clan tapa designs mimic the same shapes and patterns used in the traditional tattoos on people’s faces in the Collingwood Bay area. OW WAS TAPA USED H TRADITIONALLY? In Oro tapa cloth was used as loincloths for men, called koefi, and short skirts for women, called embobi. Tapa was used as a material for clothing and as an article of wealth and prestige; it was used in lifecycle rituals such as bride price payments, funerals and other compensation as well as in trade with neighbouring groups.
What has really kept this product alive is the adaption of tapa for everyday modern use – apart from pieces that are suitable as framed wall hangings, one can today buy tapa made into hats, purses, bags, other adornment, and even tables. WHERE CAN TAPA BE BOUGHT? Tapa cloth in some form can be found in most hotel gift shops, among the artifacts displayed outside major hotels and is sure to be for sale in the irregular craft markets that are held around Port Moresby, such as the one sometimes held poolside at the Laguna hotel. Remember, as with any cloth, it is best to keep your tapa clean and dry since it will be susceptible to mould or insect attack if left in any damp, dark spot. – JOHN BROOKSBANK