Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T08:51:00.388Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Hawaiian Barkcloth from the Bishop Museum Collections: A Characterization of Materials and Techniques in Collaboration with Modern Practitioners to Effect Preservation of a Traditional Cultural Practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2014

Christina Bisulca ,
Lisa Schattenburg-Raymond  and
Kamalu du Preez
Christina Bisulca
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona 85721, U.S.A. Cultural Collections, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu HI 96817, U.S.A.
Lisa Schattenburg-Raymond
Affiliation:
Cultural Collections, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu HI 96817, U.S.A.
Kamalu du Preez
Affiliation:
Cultural Collections, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Honolulu HI 96817, U.S.A.
Get access

Abstract

Hawaiian barkcloth (‘kapa’) is a traditional fabric made from beaten plant fibers. Because of its function in both utilitarian and chiefly ornaments, kapa is intimately tied to the history and traditions of Hawai’i. In the 19th century kapa was gradually replaced with imported textiles and the practice was lost. The traditional methods used to manufacture kapa are now only known from historic descriptions by early missionaries and explorers. Since the 1970s, cultural practitioners began an effort to revive this artform and are experimenting with materials and techniques to reproduce kapa with the quality of historic artifacts.

Research has been undertaken at the Bishop Museum using a multi-analytical approach to determine the colorants. The Bishop Museum holds the world’s best collection of kapa, including some of the earliest pieces collected from Cook’s voyage in the 18th century. The research has focused on a comprehensive survey of over 150 pieces of kapa with x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). In some cases, samples were removed and analyzed with UV-Vis-NIR fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and chromatographic techniques, including high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Scientific results document the use of traditional pigments and dyes as well as the incorporation of imported materials in the 19th century. Results are interpreted by period, design and use, as well as within the context of historic descriptions. An important aspect of this work is close collaboration with cultural practitioners experienced fabrication methods that have been successful in the recreation of kapa. With continued research, the goal is to ultimately gain a greater knowledge of historic materials and techniques for the continuation of this important tradition.

Keywords

artx-ray fluorescencechemical composition
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1656: Symposium PP – Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology X , 2014 , pp. 111 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Brigham, W.T., Ka Hana Kapa: The Making of Bark-Cloth in Hawaii (Bishop Museum Press, 1911).Google Scholar
Krauss, B.H., Plants in Hawaiian Culture (University of Hawaii Press, 1993).Google Scholar
Malo, D., Hawaiian Antiquities:(Moolelo Hawaii) (Hawaiian Gazette Co., Ltd., 1903).Google Scholar
Smith, G. and Te Kanawa, R., Chem., N. Z. (2008).Google Scholar
Museum, B.P.B. and Summers, C.C., Material Culture: The JS Emerson Collection of Hawaiian Artifacts (Bishop Museum Press, 1999).Google Scholar
Bisulca, C. and Winter, J., in Later Chin. Paint. Mater. (Archetype Publications, in preparation).Google Scholar
Bisulca, C., Picollo, M., Bacci, M., and Kunzelman, D., in 9th International Conference on Non-Destructive Testing, Art Jerus. 25–30 May 2008 Jerus. (2008).Google Scholar
Giacci, J. and Winter, J., in Sci. Res. Pict. Arts Asia Proc. Second Forbes Symp. Freer Gallery Art (Archetype Publications, London, 2005).Google Scholar
Schweppe, H., Winter, J., and Fitzhugh, E.W., Madder and Alizarin in Artist's Pigments: A Handbook of their History and Characteristics. Wash. Oxf. (1997).Google Scholar
West FitzHugh, E., Leona, M., and Shibayama, N., Stud. Conserv. 56, 115 (2011).10.1179/sic.2011.56.2.115CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jayaprakasha, G.K., Jagan Mohan Rao, L., and Sakariah, K.K., J. Agric. Food Chem. 50, 3668 (2002).10.1021/jf025506aCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rock, J.F.C., The Indigenous Trees of the Hawaiian Islands (J.F. Rock, 1913).Google Scholar
Madejova, J., Vib. Spectrosc. 31, 1 (2003).10.1016/S0924-2031(02)00065-6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Derrick, M.R., Stulik, D., and Landry, J.M., Infrared Spectroscopy in Conservation Science (Getty Publications, 1999).Google Scholar
Aobchey, P., Sriyam, S., Praharnripoorab, W., Lhieochaiphant, S., and Phutrakul, S., Production of red pigment from the root of Morinda angustifolia Roxb. var. scabridula Craib. by root cell culture. Chiang Mai Univ. Journal. 1, 66 (2002).Google Scholar
Jacobson, R.A. and Adams, R., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 47, 283 (1925).10.1021/ja01678a042CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Larsen, A.W., Anthropol, J.. Archaeol. 30, 116 (2011).Google Scholar
of Salem, P.M., The Hawaiian Portion of the Polynesian Collections in the Peabody Museum of Salem: Special Exhibition, August-November, 1920 (Peabody Museum, 1920).Google Scholar
Markakis, P. and Jurd, L., Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 4, 437 (1974).Google Scholar
Vitousek, P.M., Loope, L.L., and Stone, C.P., Trends Ecol. Evol. 2, 224 (1987).10.1016/0169-5347(87)90026-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Notes on kapa. Transcripts and translations in HEN.I.76-93, 144-147, and 372. Bishop Museum Archives.Google Scholar
Firnhaber, N. and Erhardt, D., in Recent Advances in the Conservation and Analysis of Artifacts. Jubilee Conservation Conference, London 6-10 July 1987. (National Museums of Canada, 1986), pp. 178–185.Google Scholar
Arthur, L., Cultural Authentication of Hawaiian Quilting in the Early 19th Century. Cloth. Text. Res. J. 29, 103 (2011).10.1177/0887302X11402820CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peel, R.A., J. Soc. Dye. Colour. 68, 496 (1952).10.1111/j.1478-4408.1952.tb02744.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Travis, A.S., Hist. Technol. Int. J. 12, 1 (1994).10.1080/07341519408581873CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bayman, J.M., Ideology, political economy, and technological change in the Hawaiian Islands after AD 1778. Bull. Indo-Pac. Prehistory Assoc. 27, 3 (2007).Google Scholar
Plesters, J., in Artists Pigments Handb. Their Hist. Charact. Vol. 2 (National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, United States, 1993), pp. 37–65.Google Scholar
Odegaard, N.N. and Crawford, M.F., in ICOM Comm. Conserv. 11th Trienn. Meet. Edinb. Scotl. 1-6 Sept. 1996 Prepr. (1996), pp. 634–638.Google Scholar
H. Hackfeld & Co., Pac. Commer. Advert. 4 (1876). Bishop Museum Archives.Google Scholar
Savidge & May, Pac. Commer. Advert. 3 (1856). Bishop Museum Archives.Google Scholar
Pierce and Brewer, The Polynesian 180 (1840). Library of Congress.Google Scholar
Cummins, Thomas, The Polynesian 4 (1840). Library of Congress.Google Scholar