How to make Tapa

 

1. After the hiapo is cut down, women and girls peel the bark from the tree.

2. They hang the bark in the sun to dry.

3. They soak the dried bark in water to make it soft.

4. They beat the bark with a wooden tool called a ike to make it thinned and wider

5. They dry the bark in the sun again

6. In the school hall, the women and girls cover the table with material. This will be backing for the ngatu.

7. They line up feta'aki along the table on top of this backing material. The they paste the edges of the feta'aki to the back material. 

8. They cover the backing material with paste.

9. They carefully lay the feta'aki over the top of the backing material. Then they press the two pieces together and slowly toll them up.

10. They carry the ngatu outside and roll it out on the concrete so it can sry in the sun. When it is dry they will paint the ngatu with some brown dye, using a piece of feta'aki as a brush