Masi Vulavula

Masi Vulavula. Long plain masi (bark cloth), fringed across both edges and ends. The Masi Vulavula consists of eight pieces of masi glued together, at their ends, forming one long piece. A child's footprint is visible across a face of the Masi Vulavula. Masi is made from bark stripped from the Vuni Masi (Paper mulberry) tree. The outer skin is removed and the inner bark (natural in colour) is soaked in a papasia (large wooden bowl). It is then laid out on a duadua (long wooden anvil) and beaten with an ike (bark cloth beater). Diamond shaped patterns, formed throughout the beating process of the bark, are visible across the length of the masi.