The following weblinks may be useful to you and your students:
Glossary of terms
Tapa is the generic term for Pacific bark cloth. Use our online glossary to find out what tapa is called throughout the Pacific. There's a lot of other useful information about tapa as well.
See the glossary of terms
How tapa is made
Although each island group has its own tapa patterns and uses for tapa, the basic steps in making it are common to all. Watch Auckland-based Feletoa Fa‘apoi and members of the Tongan Otaota Fahina Society make ngatu (Tongan tapa).
See Tongan tapa making in action
Toto‘a Fagai from Vaito‘omuli village in Samoa makes siapo (Samoan tapa).
See Samoan tapa making
This Collections Online narrative discusses how ngatu (Tongan tapa) is decorated.
See how ngatu is decorated
There's also a written description of how ngatu is made.
Read how ngatu is made
Where tapa is from and its uses
Using the interactive map, explore the amazing range of tapa pieces in Te Papa's collection. And find out more about how tapa is important to the eight island groups featured in Paperskin: The art of tapa cloth and Tapa: Pacific style.
Find out where tapa is from
tapa image gallery
Te Papa has a stunning collection of objects made from tapa. Browse through and look at them in fine detail.
Browse though Te Papa's tapa collection
Discover Tapa at Te Papa
Tapa treasures and stories can be found all around Te Papa! When you bring your students on a Pacific tapa-themed visit, why not incorporate other related exhibitions such as Tangata o le Moana and the displays in PlaNet Pasifika.
Discover tapa at Te Papa
Also available is Te Papa Education's self-guided resource designed for teachers to use when they guide their own classes on visits to PlaNet Pasifika.
PlaNet Pasifika self guiding education resource