The Legend of Tapa Making - Honolulu, Oahu, HI
Posted by: 
denben
N 21° 16.972 W 157° 50.208
4Q E 620666 N 2353898
These bronze statues by KaMille, erected on the grounds of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, depict three female figures making tapa, or kapa, a traditional art practiced in Hawaii in which cloth is made from tree bark.
Waymark Code: WMRJJ1
Location: Hawaii, United States
Date Posted: 06/28/2016
Views: 5
"These bronze statues honor Puanani Kanemura Van Dorpe, a master tapa maker, and two legendary sisters named La’ahana and Lauhuki who first perfected the craft of converting tree bark into fine, colorful cloth. These sculptures by artist KaMille were erected during a tribute ceremony for Van Dorpe at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in November 2006." (
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The sign reads:
"The Legend of Tapa Making / Sculpted by KaMille / In the ancient time, a Hawaiian man named Maikoha instructed his two daughters, Lauhuki and Laahana, that upon his death, they should bury his body next to a stream. He told them to watch for a sapling tree to grow out of the grave. They were told to tend the tree and groom the branches. When the sapling attained the heigh of a Warrior Chief, the bark was to be stripped, scraped clean and soaked in stream water. It was then to be beaten, bleached in the sun, dyed, decorated and given a finish that would keep the colors bright. The cloth that resulted from this process would, he promised, make even the highest Alii Chief feel great pride. / Lauhuki and Laahana followed all of their Father's instructions. They divided the tasks and as they perfected the process, Lauhuki became the Loea (master) of the secrets of fermentation, felting, beating and embossing. Laahana became the Loea of dyes, inks, design and printing. / Our generations, Hawaiian women who became practitioners of this art form venerated the sisters for the gift of Tapa to the Hawaiian people. The sisters were deified and are recognized to this day as the Aumakua (spirits) of this ancient Hawaiian art. / It is said that women who seek their direction from the sisters through meditation, prayer or dreams will be guided to success in Tapa making. / Puanani Van Dorpe has rediscovered many of the ancient techniques of Hawaiian Tapa making and has been designated a "Living Hawaiian Treasure". She credits her Hawaiian Aumakua, the sisters Lauhuki and Laahana as the source of her success. / Puanani told this ancient legend to the sculptor KaMille, and it became the inspiration for the statues."