Skip to main content
Object Number 11-2-70/83961
Display Title Hand-painted tapa, Hiapo
Descriptions
Object Description Tapa cloth. Light-medium weight cloth made of off-white inner bark fibers decorated on one side with a network of diamond-shaped motifs, bamboo leaves or pod-like designs. The cloth is composed of three single evenly pounded layers fabricated from smaller individual pieces that are joined by overlapping, pasting and beating; all layers have parallel grain directions. All edges of the cloth retains its original pounded finishing edge. There are no visible beater patterns. Surface decoration is in a blackish/brown paint; all design elements have been handpainted. Identifying numbers and labels: A Peabody Museum catalogue number in red has been applied on the verso of one corners. Beside the applied numbers are a paper tag on string ('Probably Niue') and a taped label ('25.Peabody-H').
Inventory Description Tapa, rectangular, white with black geometric and curvilinear painted design
Classification
  • Tapa
Department Ethnographic
Culture
  • Niue
  • Samoan
Geography/Provenience/Site Name
Oceania / New Zealand / <State> / Niue
Additional Geographic Terms Cook Islands
Dimensions Overall: 231 x 178.5 x 0.1 cm (90 3/16 x 69 5/16 x 1/16 in.)
Quantity 1
Label on object 83961; 25.PEABODY-H
Credit Line Gift of Wiiliam McM. Woodworth, 1911
Provenance
Collector Dr. William McMichael Woodworth (1896-1900)
Donor Donated by Dr. William McMichael Woodworth

Important Note about Historical Language

Collections records may contain language, reflecting past collecting practices and methods of analysis, that is no longer acceptable. The Peabody Museum is committed to addressing the problem of offensive and discriminatory language present in its database. Our museum staff are continually updating these records, adding to and improving content. We welcome your feedback and any questions or concerns you may want to share. Please email us with your comments.

PrimaryMedia Object Number Title Classification Geography/Provenience SHARE
Piece of tapa cloth
34-137-70/299 Piece of tapa cloth
Tapa
Niaufo'ou (Tin Can Island)
Small kapa cloth sample
71-8-70/2899 Small kapa cloth sample
Tapa
Hawaii
Tapa cloth
11-2-70/83931 Tapa cloth
Tapa
Samoa
Tapa cloth
96-25-70/49498.1 Tapa cloth
Tapa
Samoa
Piece of brown tapa cloth
36-45-70/336 Piece of brown tapa cloth
Tapa
Samoa
Tapa
85-7-70/37624 Tapa
Tapa
Honolulu County
Tapa cloth
14-23-70/85657 Tapa cloth
Tapa
Samoa
Tapa cloth
77-37-70/11692 Tapa cloth
Tapa
Pitcairn Island
Kapa
94-10-70/48375 Kapa
Tapa
Hawaii County
Small kapa fragment
85-7-70/37613 Small kapa fragment
Tapa
Honolulu County
Kapa
94-10-70/48374 Kapa
Shirt
Hawaii County
Bark cloth, Samoan siapo
999-18-70/5804 Bark cloth, Samoan siapo
Tapa
Oceania