Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
1986.6.2 |
Object Name |
Pounder, Tapa |
Description |
Bark cloth (ngatu) pounder made of blond wood with a flared and fluted base and a tapered handle. Bark cloth, known as ngatu in Tonga, is indigenous to the peoples of the South Pacific. In Tonga, the cloth is made from the bark of the Hiapo, or Mulberry tree. Once stripped from the tree, the inner bark is soaked and then beaten to create a flat cloth using this type of pounder, known as an ipe. The grooves on the ipe help the user beat the bark paper thin. Strips of pounded bark are joined together by pounding or adhesive to make larger pieces of cloth. The finished cloth is then printed, stained, painted, or stamped to decorate its surface. It is used in a variety of manners, from functional uses as floor mats or clothing, to ceremonial uses in funerals and weddings. |
Title |
Bark Cloth Pounder (Ipe) |
Date |
c. 1986 |
Role of Creator |
Artist |
Creator |
Halalilo, Sefo |
Material |
wood |
Dimensions |
H-13.5 D-3.5 inches |
Credit line |
Gift of Jeff Chapman |
Place of Origin |
Oceania/Tonga/Vava`u/Tu`Anekivale |
Culture |
Tongan |
Subjects |
Bark cloth Bark cloth Clothing & dress Cooperatives Dyeing Fibers Tourist art Trees |