Gatu

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 a natural pigment made from togo (mangrove) or kele'uli (clay), and then painted with a black dye made from tuitui (candlenut) soot. This gatu has a thick black border, the remaining borders and sections alternate between black and brown painted motifs as well as black geometric designs. This looks to be half of a bigger piece of gatu, it has been cut in the middle.