[10] The combined piece of cloth is placed on a tapa board

[10] The combined piece of cloth is placed on a tapa board

10

1967

"Once the pieces have all been fastened together, forming a piece of cloth, the tapa is placed on a tapa board. The board itself is carved from a hard wood with the design deeply engraved into the surface. The tapa boards are prized family possessions and are often passed from generation to generation. Note: the previous photograph shows a portion of a tapa board. The style of tapa boards can vary among Polynesian cultural groups. In Samoa the boards are made of wood. In the Tongan islands the boards are made from bark fibers and the design is sewed to the bark.

Look closely at the tapa cloth. There are holes in the fabric and the surface is uneven. The holes will be filled and patched and the cloth smoothed."

--Joan Griffis