9.2 Body, Cloth & Ceremony

Tapa cloth

Across Polynesia, tapa (barkcloth) — like Hawaiian and Tongan hiapo/ngatu — was beaten from bark and stamped with patterns for ceremony, gifts, and rank.

Tattoo & adornment

The tattoo (the word comes from Polynesian tatau) marked identity, status, and genealogy on the body — art worn permanently on skin.

Presentation

Objects gained meaning through performance and exchange — worn, given, or displayed in ceremony — so their social use is central to understanding them.

Key terms

Tapa (barkcloth)

beaten, stamped cloth for ceremony and rank

Hiapo / ngatu

Pacific barkcloth traditions

Tatau

Polynesian origin of the word 'tattoo'

Tattoo

marks identity, status, genealogy on the body

Exchange

objects gain meaning through use and giving

Try an AP-style question

Tapa cloth is made from…

1. silk threads
2. cotton on looms
3. woven wool
4. beaten tree bark