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Overview
This 'ahu (Tahitian tapa) was produced by Hinatea Colombani (Te Ao Mā'ohi - Tahiti) as a part of the 'Ahu: Ngā wairua o Hina project.
Making for the future
This piece of tapa is made from the bark of the 'aute or paper mulberry tree. It was chosen by maker and artist Hinatea Colombani to represent her wishes for the future of her culture. Until recently, the making of tapa was not practiced on the island of Tahiti, all but disappearing as a result of colonisation and western influence. Through sustained effort, the practices of tapa have been revived with support from neighbouring islands. The success of the revival of tapa making represents the restoration and restitution of an aspect of Tahitian culture by community, and through this hope for the future.
The red ink, made from mati berry and tou leaf represents the continuation of the lines of tapa makers past present and future.
“I put this line, a red line to represent the makers from the past to the future. Aute is my wish for the future as a part of who we are. That we remember we need this plant. To link us to the past, to anchor us in this present period, to be with us in the future. “
Hinatea Colombani, 2024
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.