What are Siapo patterns?
Siapo are decorated in two ways: either freehand or by taking rubbings off a relief pattern carved into a plank or board. The dyes are made from a variety of plants and trees and an earth ochre called ‘ele. Freehand-decorated siapo are called siapo mamanu.
What are the designs on the tapa inspired by?
While viewing tapa designs, point out the artists’ use of symmetry and repeated motifs to create patterns with shapes based on natural objects (e.g. fish and plants). Discuss the influence that the artists’ environment may have had on their choice of materials and colors.
What does tapa cloth represent?
Tapa was ceremonially displayed on special occasions, such as birthdays and weddings. In sacred contexts, tapa was used to wrap images of deities. Even today, at times of death, bark cloth may be integral part of funeral and burial rites. In Polynesia, textiles are considered women’s wealth.
How is the patterns made on a tapa cloth?
SIAPO – THE TAPA OF SAMOA Virtually every pattern is unique. Siapo tasina is decorated by placing the cloth on a raised carved tablet and rubbing it with dye on a pad. These design tablets, or upeti, produce a repeated pattern.
What is a Samoan tapa cloth?
Overview. Samoan siapo (tapa cloth) is usually made from the inner bark of the u’a (paper mulberry tree), and decorated with natural dyes from a range of trees, plants, and clays. Read about how tapa are made and used in Samoa here: Tapa: Pacific Style – Samoan siapo.
What is the name of the shells used for the process of making Siapo?
The soaked white u’a bast is removed from the water and placed on a sloping board and rubbed along the grain of the bark with different types of seashells called pipi, pa’e, or asi.
What is Siapo made of?
The canvas of Siapo is the bark of the Paper Mulberry Tree. This cloth is known as u’a. The process of preparing the u’a includes harvesting, stripping, separating, scraping, and beating.
What does Tatau mean in Samoan?
The Samoan word for tattoo came from the Polynesian language. The word tatau originates from the tapping sounds of the tool made during tattooing.
Who is Taema and Tilafaiga?
Taema and Tilafaiga were female siamese twins who were joined at the spine. When the twins were grown, they decided to travel away from Ta’u, the island of their birth. As they were swimming, the spar of a canoe struck them and severed the join between them.
What is Samoan Tapa cloth?
In Samoa, tapa cloth–or siapo as it is known in Samoan–is an important symbol of Samoan culture. The bark used to make siapo comes primarily from the mulberry family. The outer bark has a soft inner bark, called bast.
What is siapo (tapa)?
Siapo, also known as tapa, is one of the oldest Samoan cultural art forms. For centuries Siapo has been passed from generation to generation. Even so, it has fast become a nearly extinct art form.
What is siapo art?
The Siapo is not only a decorative art, it is a symbol of Samoan culture. The Tapa has various uses such as for clothing, bedding, room dividers, ceremonial garments and much more The canvas of the siapo is the bark of the paper mulberry tree known as u’a .
What are the dimensions of a Samoan siapo?
Dimensions: 680mm x 650mm. $155.00 SOLD Small Samoan Siapo in new condition,hand made on the island. Design is based on the Hibiscus flower,which is present in beautiful abundance on Samoa. Dimensions: 440mm x 340 mm. $45.00 SOLD