Kapa

/ˈkɑːpə/ noun

Definition

A type of cloth made from tree bark, traditionally made in Hawaiian and other Pacific Island cultures by pounding the inner bark.

Etymology

From Hawaiian 'kapa,' related to Polynesian languages' words for bark cloth. The manufacturing process involves soaking bark and beating it with wooden mallets to create fabric.

Kelly Says

Kapa represents one of the world's oldest technologies—making cloth without weaving! Hawaiian artisans created intricate patterns through beating and folding, and kapa cloth became sacred in Hawaiian culture as gifts and ceremonial garments.

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