05/27/2025
Traditional Hawaiian Bedclothes pt 1
In understanding the iconic Hawaiian quilt, we first need the context of the traditional textiles of Hawaii, pre-1820 (before the missionaries of New England arrived). The common cloth then was called ‘kapa’, made from bark and bast fibers mostly of the paper mulberry tree which were beaten and felted to make the texture soft and then stamped with natural dyes in geometric patterns, the video excerpts here are from the 1926 ‘Moana’ an originally silent film I love which follows daily life in a Samoan village, the process shown is typical of Polynesian barkcloth making- very similar to Hawaiian kapa. ‘Kapa moe’ are the bedclothes made from stitched together panels of kapa. This was the final layer or coverlet in the fastidious arrangement of traditional bedding which was made up of many layers of finely woven pandan leaf (lauhala) mats(13-16) which were laid on the floors of the traditional house ‘hale’ (7-10, I included perhaps too many images of these unusually beautiful thatched structures)- the higher the status of the occupant, the finer the weave and abundance of these mats. In Kauai and Niihau there were mats made from a sedge grass called ‘makaloa’ (17-19), so soft and fine they were coveted by neighboring warriors and chiefs, sometimes taken as trophies.
Though some families had less- a typical set of bedclothes consisted of 4 undecorated barkcloth sheets topped by an intricately stamped kapa, all fastened together at the foot. Bedding was kept clean by washing it with a damp cloth and frequent sunning. When not in use it was rolled up in the houses rafters with pieces of sandalwood and seeds of the mokihana to keep it smelling sweet and to deter pests. Kapa making continues, though more scarcely and so has become a rare art form. There are of course many historical examples in museums and private collections. Infuriatingly, credit to the makers of these pieces is largely undocumented except the visitors that📸
1-5:except of Mother Tu’ungaita from Flaherty’s ‘Moana’
6via Los Angeles County Museum of Art
7.Pic by brother Bertram
10,13, imagesofoldHawaii.com
11.Pic by David Eickhoff
17-19 via the
