Gatu

human history

Gatu. Bark cloth. Gatu were most commonly made by men in Uvea mo Futuna. It is made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree which has been stripped, beaten and patched together to create a plain textile. This is then dyed and rubbed with togo (mangrove) or kele'uli (clay) and then painted with a black dye made from tuitui (candlenut) soot. This gatu is rectangular in shape, it has bordered edges, and inside the border there are six squares with different motifs and geometric designs.

Accession number: 1987.174 Last Update: 11 Oct 2023
Other Name

Bark cloth (English)

Accession Number

1987.174

Accession Date

21 Jul 1987

Other Id

52496 (ethnology)

Department

Pacific

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