They are usualy made by women and have always had an important place in the social life of high polynesian islands. | 
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| Arts and craft : The Tapa |
They are usualy made by women and have always had an important place in the social life of high polynesian islands. |
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| White tapas are made from the bark of mulberry tree(ute - broussoneta papyrifera) , yellow tapas from bread fruit trees (tumu mei - artocarpus altilis)and brown/red tapas are made from the banyan tree(aoa - ficus prolixa). White tapa cloth was used by the highly ranked people , whereas the banyan tapa cloth was used mostly by priests. The process consisted of tearing off the bark and then scraping in order to keep only the interior. After softening in water , the bark is beaten with wooden beaters made from a hard wood such as iron wood(toa - casuarina equisetifolia). The bark is then folded over in a few layers and re-beaten to obtain a good cloth. | 
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| Traditionally, the tapa cloths were rarely decorated ; but generally stained with a yellow tint called eka (curcuma longa).Today tapas are used to draw various decorations inspired by motifs used in carving and tattooing. |
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Marquisian woman dressed of white tapa : detail of Max Radiguet's drawing, secretary of the Admiral Dupetit-Thouars in the Marquesas in 1842. Effigy covered by tapa Drawing on modern tapa drying in the sun Patterns |
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