tapa
Definition
Noun 1. A paperlike cloth made in the South Pacific by pounding bark: This refers to a non-woven textile traditionally produced on various Pacific Islands. It is created by soaking and then repeatedly beating the inner bark of certain trees until it forms a thin, felted sheet. 2. The thin fibrous bark of the paper mulberry or similar trees used to make this cloth: This meaning refers to the raw material itself—specifically the prepared bark from trees like the paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) or the Pipturus albidus.
Usage Examples
- The museum displayed a beautiful tapa cloth decorated with geometric patterns.
- The process of making tapa is a skilled tradition passed down through generations.
- They harvested the bark to prepare the tapa for beating.
Advanced Usage
- Cultural Significance: Tapa is often decorated with symbolic patterns using natural dyes and is used in ceremonies, clothing, and as a valuable gift in many Polynesian and Melanesian cultures.
- As a Material: It can be used as a wall hanging, room divider, bed covering, or ceremonial garment.
Variants and Related Words
- Tapa cloth (noun phrase): A more specific term for the finished textile.
- She brought back a large piece of tapa cloth from Fiji.
- Kapa (noun): The Hawaiian word for tapa.
- Ngatu (noun): The Tongan word for tapa, often referring to larger, decorated pieces.
Synonyms
- Bark cloth
- Paper mulberry cloth (when specifying the material source)
Related Terms
- Bark: The outer covering of a tree, which is the source material for tapa.
- Felt: A similar non-woven textile, though made from matted fibers like wool, not bark.
- Beater: The tool (often wooden) used to pound the bark into cloth.
Noun
-
a paperlike cloth made in the South Pacific by pounding tapa bark
-
the thin fibrous bark of the paper mulberry and Pipturus albidus
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