Wooden Tapa Beater

Fiji
19th-early 20th c

Provenance: Grace Goldberg collection, Harrison, NY, acquired in 1970 from Bobbi Nochimson- Entwistle. By descent to family member

A wooden bark cloth beater from Fili is used for beating and softening the fibers of the inner bark of trees to produce the material known as “bark cloth.” The process involves repeatedly hitting the bark with the beater to make it flexible and pliable for weaving or sewing into various cultural and traditional items such as clothing, mats, and household goods.