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Overview
This siapo (Samoan tapa) was produced by Doron Semu (Sāmoa – Falelatai, Salelesi, Asau, Falelima; New Zealand European) as a part of the 'Ahu: Ngā wairua o Hina project.
Innovation of the present
In Nike (Fa'a masina) Doron examines the current state and culture of siapo making. After visiting Samoa post-COVID-19, he observed a noticeable decline in siapo production, likely due to fewer tourists visiting. While there were less siapo makers in the markets, Doron noted innovative practices, such as the use of spray paints and stencils.
When asked about the 'Nike' logo, Doron references the stencil culture in Samoa and other islands, where brands and logos are added and adorn lavalava and t-shirts. The 'Nike' swoosh was purposefully chosen for its resemblance to the fa'a masina or moon pattern common on siapo.
Significantly, Nike (Fa'a masina) was once part of a larger cloth intentionally cut into pieces that were then gifted to others. Through this action, Doron honours the cultural significance of the cutting and sharing of siapo and acknowledges smaller pieces held in Alexander Shaw’s tapa sampler book.
“It’s important that our siapo doesn’t just exist in museums and that we all as makers hold pieces of our own heritage. This piece was part of a much larger cloth that I cut up. Some have been gifted to friends, family, and other makers here. That way they exist in the community as well as the museums, but most importantly they are all sisters.”
Doron Semu, 2023
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.