It is similar to tapa found elsewhere in Polynesia, but differs in the methods used in its creation. Kapa is based primarily on the creative combination of linear elements that cross and converge to form squares, triangles, chevrons, and diagonal forms, giving a feeling of boldness and directness. Kapa was used primarily for clothing like the malo worn by men as a loincloth and the pāū worn by women as a wraparound. Kapa was also used for kīhei used over the shoulders. Other uses for kapa depended on caste and a person's place in ancient Hawaiian society. Kapa moe were reserved for the alii or chiefly caste, while kapa robes were used by kāhuna or priestly caste. Kapa was also used as banners where leis were hung from it and images of their gods were printed on it.
Techniques
Cultural anthropologists over the course of the 20th centuryidentified techniques in the creation of kapa that are unique to the Hawaiian Islands. Wauke was the preferred source of bast fibres for kapa, but it was also made from ulu, ōpuhe, maaloa, māmaki, ākala, ākalakala, and hau. In the 18th century, pieces of kapa were often made of grooving or ribbing. It is done by pushing the dampened cloth into the grooves of a special board. The wauketree is cut and soaked in water. It is then laid on a kua kūkū and beaten with a hōhoa. After the first phase of beating, the kapa is transferred to a sacred house to be beaten a second time, but in a religious manner.
Process
Each kapa manufacturer used an ie kūkū, a beater with four flat sides that were each carved differently. Another way to carve the kapa is by starting on the four-sided affairs, with the coarsest grooves on one side used first in breaking down the bast, or wet bark. Then, the beating continued using two sides with finer grooves. Lastly, finishing touches were accomplished with the remaining smooth side of the beater. The carvings left an impression in the cloth that was hers alone. After the European discovery of the Hawaiian Islands, Western traders travelled to Hawaii especially for kapa. The process of making kapa was done primarily by women. Young girls would learn by helping their mothers, over time doing the majority of the work, and when older could make kapa by themselves.
