Masi kesa (tapa cloth)

Masi (tapa cloth) is an enduring art form in Fiji and considered a female iyau (valuable). Masi are often presented as ceremonial gifts at life events such as births, weddings and funerals. Specific types of masi are worn as ceremonial attire or as costumes in dance performances. Since the early 20th century, the use of masi has spread to other contexts including tourist, commercial and contemporary art markets.

Manufacture

Masi is made exclusively by women, some of whom work in small groups. The laborious process involves stripping the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree, soaking and beating it into large sheets. Decoration differs from place to place with a range of techniques and iconography.

One of the most prominent forms is masi kesa (stencilled masi), originally created using stencils cut from banana and other large leaves. In recent decades artists used X-ray film, plastic from rice bags or overhead-projector transparency film as more durable alternatives.

Significance

This masi kesa was collected in Fiji during the 1890s  It is a rare example of a masi featuring small motifs representing dakai qiwavatu (flintlock muskets).

American and European whalers and traders introduced firearms into Fiji in the early 1800s. They were soon incorporated into indigenous warfare, dramatically changing the tactics of armed conflict and sometimes the balance of power.