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Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0001   CAS 2011-0004-0001; Tapa cloth
Category Textiles
Object Name Tapa cloth
Culture Polynesian: Tongan
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Mulberry bark; Dyes
Description Section of tapa cloth measuring 4 langanga (unit of measure generally equal to length from elbow to tips of fingers) that has been cut along three sides from much larger tapa cloth; White border along one edge has also been marked with numbers 25, 26, and 27, indicating its original position within the larger tapa cloth; Fabric is made from strips of mulberry bark that have been beaten into thin sheets and overlapped to make increasingly larger cloth; Background of design field is marked by light brown cross-hatch lines, indicating cloth was wrapped on sennit-covered board as it was made, then designs were marked on one face by pressing cloth against a kupesi or pattern board; Designs were then overpainted in dark brown and/or black; Several designs are repeated in rows that extend across width of tapa cloth, and include a row of triangles, alternately marked with a single stemmed flower and a single leafed stem; Bordering the band of triangles is the phrase, “KOE SISIMA LEO TUGI” referring to a royal belt; Next design band is filled with terraced diagonal columns of triangles and groups of 3 solid circles, the latter representing fruit of the hea tree; Next design band shows row of airplanes, each marked with the word “KUINISALOTE”; Last design band repeats terraced diagonal columns of triangles and hea fruit.
Dimensions (cm) Width = 205.5, Length = 190.7

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0002   CAS 2011-0004-0002; Tapa cloth
Category Textiles
Object Name Tapa cloth
Culture Polynesian: Tongan
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Mulberry bark; Dyes
Description Section of large tapa cloth measuring 5 langanga (unit of hand measurement equal to distance from elbow to finger tips) that is made from strips of mulberry bark that have been pounded into thin sheets that have then been overlapped to form an even larger cloth sheet; This section has been cut with a scissors along all four edges, but still includes the original side borders that are marked with the langanga marks of 1 through 5, indicating it has been cut from a much larger tapa cloth; The design field is divided into rectangular blocks, with two blocks covering the entire width of the cloth; Similar blocks are designated across each langanga unit, and each block contains the same motifs: a central kalauni (Tongan royal crown), flanked by 3 (feitu’u (stars) and a crescent on one side and three heleta (swords representing battles fought to unite the islands of the Tongan kingdom) on the other; A small banner with the words “KOE KALAUNI” is also shown beneath each heleta; Inside the numbered borders and extending up the entire length of the cloth is a geometric border that includes the manulua motif (an ancient chiefly motif also known as the “vane swastika”) consisting of a pinwheel like pattern of small triangles, and three large dark brown dots representing the fruits of the hea tree; Same geometric border is also painted down the center of the cloth, separating the two rectangular design blocks in each langanga row.
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 259.0, Length = ca. 430.0

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0003   CAS 2011-0004-0003; Tapa cloth
Category Textiles
Object Name Tapa cloth
Culture Polynesian: Tongan
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Mulberry bark; Dyes
Description Large rectangular four langana (hand-measured length) section of tapa cloth made from strips of mulberry bark that have been pounded into thin sheets which have then been overlapped to form an even larger sheet; Background pattern of parallel brown lines indicates this sheet was made on a worktable which was strung with sennit cordage; Cloth has been cut along all four sides, although one sides includes the original border bearing the markings “20” and “22”, indicating it probably was cut from a much larger cloth that might have measured 50 langana; Design field is divided into rows that extended across entire length of full-size cloth; Starting at the border, each row is decorated with an image of a hala paini (Norfolk pine tree that flanks the road between the Royal Palace and the Royal Tombs in Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s capital), a small bat-like bird, the tokelau feletoa (series of 4 elongated diamond shapes with palm-life design, used as chiefly symbol on Tongan tapa), another row of small bat-like birds, and finally a row of the kalauni (the Tongan royal crown); The row of royal crowns has been cut so that only 1/3 of each crown is actually depicted.
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 181.5, Length = ca. 214.0

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0004   CAS 2011-0004-0004; Tapa cloth
Category Textiles
Object Name Tapa cloth
Culture Polynesian: Tongan
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Mulberry bark; Dyes
Description Section of tapa cloth measuring 10 langanga (unit of measure generally equal to length from elbow to tips of fingers) that has been cut along two sides from much larger tapa cloth; White borders along two edges are marked with odd numbers 19 through 27, indicating its original position within the larger tapa cloth which probably measured 50 langanga; Fabric is made from strips of mulberry bark that have been beaten into thin sheets and overlapped to make increasingly larger cloth; Background of design field is marked by light brown lines, indicating cloth was wrapped on sennit-covered board as it was made, then designs were marked on one face by pressing cloth against a kupesi or pattern board; Designs were then overpainted in dark brown and/or black; Design field is divided in half down the length of the cloth with a pinwheel-like design known as manulua; Slightly wider version of this same design is repeated along the sides, just inside the white border; Remaining area is filled with four columns of large brown diamond shapes, laid end to end along length of cloth, with each diamond containing three large black dots representing the fruit of the hea tree; An open triangle is appended to each outside edge of each diamond and filled in with various geometric designs; The designs in the appended triangles are repeated along the entire column of diamonds, but each column has a slightly different set of designs.
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 487.5, Length = ca. 427.0

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0005   CAS 2011-0004-0005; Tapa cloth
Category Textiles
Object Name Tapa cloth
Culture Polynesian: Samoan
Global Region Oceania
Country Samoa
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Mulberry bark; Natural dyes from bark of mangrove tree (black) and from candlenut soot (dark brown)
Description Small rectangular tapa cloth made from strips of mulberry bark that have beaten into thin sheets that are then overlapped and joined together to form a larger sheet; The entire sheet has been pressed against a wooden pattern board bearing a carved geometric design, in this case that of a large 4-petal flower with a round center that is repeated twice; The design, itself, is best viewed on the reverse side of the cloth; To make the design stand out even more, select elements of the design on the front or top surface of the cloth are overpainted in dark brown and black, using natural dyes made from various plants.
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 37.0, Length = ca. 80.0

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0006   CAS 2011-0004-0006; Tapa cloth
Category Textiles
Object Name Tapa cloth
Culture Polynesian: Samoan
Global Region Oceania
Country Samoa
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Mulberry bark; Natural dyes from bark of mangrove tree (black) and from candlenut soot (dark brown)
Description Rectangular tapa cloth made from strips of mulberry bark that have been pounded into thin strips that have then been overlapped to form a larger sheet; Finished sheet was next pressed against a carved wooden pattern board (see CAS 2011-0004-0016 or CAS 2011-0004-0017) to make a design; Finally, design was overpainted on front face of cloth, using reddish brown and black dyes made from several different plants; Design field is divided into four vertical columns; Outermost columns are decorated with geometric motifs, while the two inner columns contain alternating geometric and floral-like motifs.
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 57.0, Length = ca. 91.0

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0007   CAS 2011-0004-0007; Tapa cloth
Category Textiles
Object Name Tapa cloth
Culture Polynesian: Fijian
Global Region Oceania
Country Fiji
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Mulberry bark; Natural dyes from bark of mangrove tree (black) and from candlenut soot (dark brown)
Description Nearly square tapa cloth, made from strips of mulberry bark that have been beaten into thin sheets which are then overlapped and held together to form an even larger sheet; Front or top surface of the cloth is densely painted with a design consisting of a series of concentric squares, each painted with a different geometric pattern; A wide diagonal band crosses the center square; Predominant color in the designs is black, but a dark brown is used in the second to the outermost square; Reverse face is marked with ink,”2 x 2 N. Ikitaga”, indicating the size and possibly where it was made.
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 60.5, Length = ca. 62.0

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0008   CAS 2011-0004-0008; Fork
Category Carvings; Culinary Items
Object Name Fork
Culture Polynesian: Fijian
Global Region Oceania
Country Fiji
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Contemporary replica of “cannibal fork,” carved from single piece of wood; Fork is cylindrical in overall shape, with the elongated handle slightly constricted closer to the proximal end and slightly expanded closer to its distal end, decorated with an expanded triangular bulb at the base of the tines; Above the bulb, the diameter again expands, before melding into four equal-sized tines arranged in a square; Each tine is triangular in cross-section and each tapers slightly toward their distal ends; All surfaces are sanded very smooth; Color is dark brown to black.
Dimensions (cm) Max Diam = 1.6, Length = 29.8

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0009   CAS 2011-0004-0009; Fork
Category Carvings; Culinary Items
Object Name Fork
Culture Polynesian: Fijian
Global Region Oceania
Country Fiji
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Contemporary replica of historic “cannibal fork,” carved from single piece of wood; Overall shape is cylindrical with elongated handle expanding dramatically near its distal end, then tapering again and expanding again at the base of the tines; Junction between the handle and base of the tines is further embellished with a carved flange (part of the overall fork); Four very long tines are triangular in cross-section and curve inward and taper gracefully toward their mid-section, then gradually flare outward as each tapers toward its distal point; Tines are arranged in a square; All surfaces are sanded very smooth and stained or waxed; Color is dark brown.
Dimensions (cm) Max Diam = 2.6, Length = 35.5

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0010   CAS 2011-0004-0010; Fork
Category Carvings; Culinary Items
Object Name Fork
Culture Polynesian: Fijian
Global Region Oceania
Country Fiji
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Contemporary replica of historic “cannibal fork,” carved from single piece of wood; Overall shape of fork is cylindrical, with barrel-shaped handle equal to half of the total length; Handle tapers toward both proximal and distal ends, and each end is capped by a flattened flange; Mid-section of handle is shallowly carved with decorative band of alternating straight and zigzag lines; Above distal end of handle, the fork is square in cross-section, with rounded corners; The center portions have been carved away, leaving a very long tine on each corner, each one round in cross-section and each one tapering very gradually to a distal point; Surfaces are sanded very smooth, and color is dark brown.
Dimensions (cm) Max Diam = 2.7, Length = 30.1

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0011   CAS 2011-0004-0011; Bowl
Category Carvings; Vessels
Object Name Bowl
Culture Polynesian: Fijian
Global Region Oceania
Country Fiji
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Very shallow bowl carved from a single piece of wood in the shape of a stylized long-necked bird with short tail and folded wings, all supported on a short and narrow cylindrical pedestal with flaring base; Color is dark brown. A similar example in the Fiji Museum in Suva, Fiji Islands was collected between 1857 and 1861 on Viti Levu Island and is described as a “priestly bowl.” (See referenced publications.)
Dimensions (cm) Height = 6.5, Width = 14.2, Length = 30.1

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0012   CAS 2011-0004-0012; Bowl
Category Carvings; Vessels
Object Name Bowl
Culture Polynesian: Tongan, Samoan, or Fijian
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga, Samoa or Fiji
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Shallow bowl carved from a single piece of wood; Bowl is crescent shaped with a flaring rim along its outer curved side and a vertical edge with flattened rim along its inner side, all supported on 3 cylindrical and one rectangular feet; All surfaces are sanded very smooth and probably stained to enhance the wood’s natural dark brown color.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 5.2, Width = 14.5, Length = 31.5

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0013   CAS 2011-0004-0013; Bowl
Category Carvings; Vessels
Object Name Bowl
Culture Polynesian: Tongan, Samoan, or Fijian
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga, Samoa or Fiji
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Shallow almond-shaped bowl with rounded underside and flaring rim, supported on four short cylindrical legs that taper gradually toward their bases; At one end of the bowl, the rim projects outward to form a wide, flat, triangular handle, whose top surface is decorated with a shallowly carved zigzag border; Similar design extends down center of handle; All surfaces are sanded very smooth and wood is probably stained to enhance its natural dark brown color.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 5.5, Width = 12.0, Length = 31.8

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0014   CAS 2011-0004-0014; Belt
Category Accessories/Ornaments
Object Name Belt
Culture Polynesian: Tongan, Samoan, or Fijian
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga, Samoa or Fiji
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Commercial cloth; Chicken feathers; Aniline dye
Description Belt made up of 8 large pompoms of dyed red chicken feathers, each made by aligning feathers in row, twining them together and then twisting the whole bundle so the twining is concealed in the center of the bundle; Three strips of commercial pale blue cloth are braided together to form a belt, and the feather bundles are spaced along the length of the belt; The fabric strips are tied in a knot at each end.
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 23.0, Thickness = ca. 9.8, Length = ca. 82.0

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0015   CAS 2011-0004-0015; Belt
Category Accessories/Ornaments; Basketry
Object Name Belt
Culture Polynesian: Tongan, Samoan, or Fijian
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga, Samoa or Fiji
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Coconut fiber; Commercial cloth
Description Belt made from pieces of coconut fiber which have been aligned and the outer edges wrapped in commercial black bias or twill tape; Additional pieces of coconut fiber have been cut into teardrop shapes and similarly edged in black bias or twill tape and then four of these shapes have been aligned and sewn together, and finally each group of four have been sewn to the belt so that they hang suspended from the belt; A white metal hook clasp is sewn on the reverse at one end of the belt and a corresponding eye hook is sewn on the front at the opposite end.
Dimensions (cm) Width = ca. 25.0, Thickness = 0.5, Length = ca. 75.0

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0016   CAS 2011-0004-0016; Tapa pattern board (?)
Category Textiles; Tools & Implements
Object Name Tapa pattern board (?)
Culture Polynesian: Samoan
Global Region Oceania
Country Samoa
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Rectangular pattern board (?) for stamping designs on tapa cloth; Flat piece of wood is shallowly carved on one face only with variety of floral and geometric motifs arranged in columns, all framed by a wavy zigzag line; If this is indeed a tapa pattern board, its carved designs are very shallow and more delicately carved than is typical.
Dimensions (cm) Width = 24.8, Thickness = 2.3, Length = 63.1

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0017   CAS 2011-0004-0017; Tapa pattern board (?)
Category Textiles; Tools & Implements
Object Name Tapa pattern board (?)
Culture Polynesian: Samoan
Global Region Oceania
Country Samoa
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Possible pattern board for stamping designs on tapa cloth, carved from single, flat piece of wood; Overall shape is rectangular with rounded corners and large section has been cut away along one edge; One face only is shallowly carved with variety of floral and geometric designs, arranged in columns; If this is indeed a tapa pattern board, its carved designs are very shallow and more delicately carved than is typical.
Dimensions (cm) Width = 20.4, Thickness = 2.0, Length = 48.9

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0018   CAS 2011-0004-0018; Tapa pattern board (?)
Category Textiles; Tools & Implements
Object Name Tapa pattern board (?)
Culture Polynesian: Samoan
Global Region Oceania
Country Samoa
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Possible pattern board for stamping designs on tapa cloth, carved from single, flat piece of wood; Overall shape is rectangular with rounded corners and large section has been cut away along one edge; One face only is shallowly carved with variety of floral and geometric designs, arranged in columns; If this is indeed a tapa pattern board, its carved designs are very shallow and more delicately carved than is typical; This board is nearly identical to CAS 2011-0004-0017 except it is slightly thicker overall and the carved designs in one of the columns are different.
Dimensions (cm) Width = 20.0, Thickness = 2.4, Length = 48.5

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0019   CAS 2011-0004-0019; Tapa pattern board
Category Textiles; Tools & Implements
Object Name Tapa pattern board
Culture Polynesian: Tongan
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Pandanus leaves; Coconut fiber; Coconut frond ribs; Unidentified plant fiber
Description Pattern board for decorating tapa cloth, made from a layer of pandanus leaves that are overlapped and seamed together, then overlaid with a layer of coconut fiber; A geometric design drawn in pencil on one face is outlined with coconut frond ribs that are sewn to the backing with a plant fiber; Design on this board is known as tokelau feletoa, a chiefly symbol popular among tapa makers; Design consists of two side-by-side elongated diamonds with zigzag borders and floral-like pattern in the center, all on a herringbone background; When decorating tapa cloth, this board or stencil would be coated with a dye and then the cloth would be pressed against the board, leaving a light impression of the raised design, which in turn, would be overpainted.
Dimensions (cm) Width = 33.4, Thickness = 0.5, Length = 52.0

Catalog Number

CAS 2011-0004-0020   CAS 2011-0004-0020; Headrest
Category Carvings; Tools & Implements
Object Name Headrest
Culture Polynesian: Tongan
Global Region Oceania
Country Tonga
State/Prov./Dist. unknown
County
Other Geographic Data unknown
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1984
Collection Name N/A
Materials Wood
Description Very large U-shaped headrest carved from a single piece of wood; Horizontal portion on which one’s head actually rests is narrow and concave; All surfaces are sanded very smooth, but headrest is completely undecorated.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 14.0, Width = 13.8, Length = 49.8
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