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Masi Vulavula

human history
  • Other Name

    Bark cloth (English)

  • Description

    Masi Vulavula. Plain bark cloth with togitogi (fringing) along the edges and ends. 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).

  • Place
    Fiji
  • Accession Number
    1930.136
  • Accession Date
    1930
  • Other Id

    4797 (ethnology)

  • Department

    Pacific

Masi vulavula, 1930.136, 4797, Photographed by Andrew Hales,… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

  • Masi vulavula, 1930.136, 4797, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 01 Jun 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Masi vulavula, 1930.136, 4797, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 01 Jun 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Masi vulavula, 1930.136, 4797, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 01 Jun 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Masi vulavula, 1930.136, 4797, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 01 Jun 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Masi vulavula, 1930.136, 4797, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 01 Jun 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Masi vulavula, 1930.136, 4797, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 01 Jun 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Masi vulavula, 1930.136, 4797, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 01 Jun 2017, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Barkcloth, detail
  • Barkcloth, detail
  • bark cloth; 4797

Artefact

  • Credit Line
    Collection of Auckland Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, 1930.136, 4797
  • Public Access Text

    'In old Fiji, particular care was taken in the production of fine white tapa known as masi vulavula which was carefully beaten out to muslin-like fineness to be worn by men as turbans, sashes and scarves. During beating, small twig holes were covered by pulling one edge of the hole across to the other and so creating a triangular patch. These were seen as a decorative element and were then created even where there was no hole.' Neich and Pendergrast, 'Pacific Tapa', 1997.

  • Cultural Origin

    Fijian

  • Primary Maker

     unknown (Maker)

  • Place
    Fiji
  • Date
    Pre 1930
  • Technique

    beaten

  • Signature/marks

    4797 (handwritten)

  • Media

    bark cloth

  • Measurement Reading

    2320mm

    810mm

  • Classification

    Bark Cloth

    Textileworking T&E

    Tools & Equipment

  • Last Update
    18 Oct 2023
The development of the Auckland War Memorial Museum online collection is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

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