Kapa (Hawaiian Bark Cloth): a Cultural Foundation of the Past, Present, and Future

O’Brien Distinguished Visiting Artist Page Chang discusses the historical relevance of the Hawaiian Kapa Making practice, what the reclamation of the practice means to the Hawaiian community, and the lessons that we take from the practice, moving into the future.

Page Chang is a Native Hawaiian Kapa maker, or Hawaiian Barkcloth maker, whose work is deeply rooted in Native Hawaiian cultural practices. Hawaiian Kapa cloth—created with the fiber of the Wauke tree, or Paper Mulberry, pounded by hand into cloth, and colored with natural dyes—has been the heart of Pageʻs artistic and educational practice for over a decade. This multifaceted cultural practice is a routine of processing, designing, farming, gathering, carving, cooking, maintenance, manufacturing, and teaching—all roles that require living and working with the ‘Āina, the land, and the community. To Aloha ‘Āina, to love the land is Kumu Pageʻs most treasured Hawaiian value that she teaches and practices everyday.

Made possible by the O’Brien Distinguished Professorship.