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Tutana Tetuanui-Peters; maker/artist; September 2023; Marquesas Islands
Overview
This hiapo (Marquesan banyan tapa) was gifted by sisters and master tapa makers Sarah Vaki and Tutana Tetuanui-Peters (Te Ao Mā'ohi – Fatu Hiva) as a part of the 'Ahu: Ngā wairua o Hina project.
Investing in the present
On the Island of Fatu Hiva, bark cloth made from the rich brown coloured 'āoa, or banyan tree is known by the name hiapo. Sarah Vaki and the makers of Fatu Hiva consider banyan one of the oldest barks used for making cloth, a gift bestowed upon humanity by the atua or deity Hina. Hiapo also holds deep significance for the women of Fatu Hiva, particularly for its historical use in feminine hygiene practices and the swaddling of newborn babies.
This piece of hiapo is one of two chosen to represent the artists reflections of cloth making in the present. Both were created by young teenage girls under the tutelage of Sarah Vaki on Fatu Hiva and represent the continuation of their cultural practices.
"This piece has been chosen for now because it was made by a student on Fatu Hiva – a teenage girl. It is very stiff because she was learning to use tapioca starch and used to much. This its not a mistake because it’s not a mistake if you learn something. And even with this mistake she created something beautiful. We teach our young people these things now from our mamas in past and it gives them a future."
Sarah Vaki 2023 (Translated by Sarahs niece in conversation with Isaac Te Awa.)
Background
In 2021, with the Te Papa Foundation’s support, Te Papa acquired a rare book of tapa cloth samples, one of many assembled by Alexander Shaw in 1787. The samples were cut from larger pieces of tapa collected on Captain Cook’s voyages to the Pacific (1768, 1772, 1776) and represent tapa-making practices from various islands including Hawai‘i, Tahiti and Tonga. While the books contain only fragments of much larger creations, they highlight the variety of textures and artistry attained through the practices, knowledge, and skills of Pacific peoples.
Held in Tahiti in 2023, 'Ahu: Ngā Wairua o Hina brought tapa makers of Tongan, Sāmoan, Niuean, Fijian, Hawaiian, Tahitian, Pitcairn-Norfolk Island, and Māori descent. Over five days this group worked together to re-establish their living relationships to the cloth held within the Alexander Shaw book. Through a process of wānanga this group of makers created two tapa bundles, incorporating the ideas of past, present, and future. Today, one of the bundles resides with Te Papa and the other with Te Fare Iamanaha-Musée de Tahiti et des Îles.