Hawaiian Kapa: Bark Cloth Art Revival
Noah Tanaka·Published
Kapa vs. Tapa
Hawaiian kapa is distinguished by exceptional thinness, refined watermarks, and complex surface decoration.
Raw Material
Made from inner bark of wauke (paper mulberry), beaten with grooved wooden beaters on stone anvils.
Techniques
- Watermarking: textured beaters create raised patterns
- Printing: bamboo stamps apply geometric motifs
- Dyeing: kukui nuts, noni roots, olena
