Barkcloth (tapa) - Oro Province - Papua New Guinea (B)

Price: $135.00


 


Tapa cloth is made in the Oro Province of Papua New Guinea for ceremonial costumes as well as for sale. Tapa is made from strips of mulberry bark which are soaked, scraped and beaten out on logs with tapa beaters, after which it is folded and beaten again. This process is repeated until a uniform sheet without holes is acheived. Once dried, the cloth is painted with designs which are specific to to the various clans of the region. Traditional pigments come from local clays, plants, and charcoal. 47" x 17"