Clothing

Bark Cloth

A large, white, rectangular pa’u (skirt) made of wauke (paper mulberry). The pa’u is made of two panels sewn together. The surface decoration consists of a border along the short edges with a black stamped, elliptical pattern. Broad yellow and red stripes of geometric decorations line the middle of the garment. The designs were created with bamboo stamps (‘ohe kāpala).

Kapa cloth is produced from the inner bark of a tree, typically wauke (paper mulberry), which is cultivated, harvested, and processed through soaking, scraping, fermenting, and repeated beating to form and refine the cloth. Patterned beaters may be used during production to create watermarks that can reflect regional styles or maker affiliations. After drying, the cloth is decorated using natural dyes and bamboo implements.

Paʻu are skirts worn by women, typically constructed from bark cloth. They are generally long garments, worn by wrapping a single length of bark cloth multiple times around the body.