Ngatu (tapa cloth)

This is a ngatu, a decorated bark or tapa cloth from Tonga. It is made from the inner bark of hiapo (paper mulberry tree). Artists strip pieces of bark and using an ike (mallet), they beat them, widening and joining them together to make larger pieces of cloth.

Significance

Ngatu are considered to be significant gifts in any ceremony in Tonga, and are also regarded as valuable by Tongans living overseas. Tonga and Fiji are important centres of modern tapa manufacture, and very large pieces continue to be made for ceremonial purposes. This ngatu is cut from a much larger finished piece. At this size it is known by makers as a fola`osi in that it comprises of five columns.

Using pattern blocks called kupesi, groups of women make rubbings through the tapa which they overpaint or decorate with freehand drawing. Using natural dyes and pigments they decorate the ngatu with motifs and patterns taken from the natural environment or associated with important people and events. Some of the events may be very local in nature, others reference bigger occasions.

This ngatu was made in celebration of the installation of electricity in a Tongan village in 1991. Among the motifs are electric street lamps and other motifs include the halapaini (referring to pie trees that line a road near the royal palace), lions, birds, sun, moon and stars and neck adornments/leis called kahoa nusi.

Acquisition history

This ngatu was purchased by anthropologist Nancy Pollock on Te Papa's behalf, during Silver Jubilee celebrations in Tonga.