Ngatu Cloth

W.A.L.T... Write using aspects of an information report structure & Identify the significance of Ngatu in the Tongan culture. Over the last Term room 6 has been studying the Ngatu-Tapa cloth. This is my writing following the Tapa cloths. I enjoyed learning a new thing.

Ngatu - Tapa Cloth 



The Ngatu is a tongan word also known as “Tapa Cloth” in many different cultures.
The Ngatu - Tapa cloth is traditionally made from the bark off a paper mulberry tree.
Once the process of making the Ngatu is over the Tongan people use them for Blankets,mats,
Clothes,and sometimes kites. The Ngatu is sacred when you are born you are wrapped in Ngatu
and when you pass away you are also wrapped in it. The Ngatu is mostly used for special
occasions such as - Royal ceremonies , weddings , Birthdays and Funerals. Women in Tonga
have groups in which they all use the process to create a authentic Ngatu. 



In the process they begin by - Cutting down the “hiapo” (paper mulberry tree) once they have
done that they peel off the bark . Which they need to create the Ngatu , as it is the main resource
they use to create the Tapa Cloth. Once they have peeled it they hang it out to dry. They then
soak the bark in warm water to make the bark soft enough to stretch into a wider and thinner
strip of bark. They use an ike. They then dry it out once the bark is at the suitable size. 
This process is making the feta’aki. The feta’aki is then sent to New Zealand as the hiapo does
not grow well in New Zealand. 

While that is happening in Tonga the women in the New Zealand school hall are covering th
e table in the school hall which will be used for the backing of the Ngatu. The line up the Feta’aki
and Join the edges of the backing and the feta’aki with paste to make them one. They then slowly
roll the two bonded pieces together. They carry the Ngatu outside 
And lay it out on the concrete to dry in the sun. When it's fully dried they take a piece  of leftover
feta aki and they use brown paint to print out the designs. This is the authentic way to make
Ngatu.


Our process was extremely different in many ways. We went through a stage in which we didn’t
know how to do it. The first try didn’t go to plan. We first had to explore tongan culture more so
we could understand the true meaning of the Ngatu and what the designs mean. We were tasked \
to find some designs we would like to print out to make our own cloths here are some of mine. 
Once we had chosen our designs we had to try and draw them on a piece of paper to see if they
were easy enough to draw and cut out. Once we had found out what our final designs were
going to be we printed them onto cardboard. The next week we got split into groups and my
group were chosen to test print our cardboard with ink. THe cardboard kept falling everywhere
so we decided to use shiny cardboard on both sides so that the cardboard doesn't peel.
Throughout the next weeks we put ink on the cardboard and pressed down using a roller to
create our masterpieces. We printed them onto brown paper that was scrunched up and then
Ironed to give it and effect.



Manulua - probably one of the oldest of Polynesian designs. It's origins are unknown but similar
motifs have been found throughout Polynesian art and in early Lapita pottery. I have seen several
explanations indicating that it was either a flower motif or a bird motif. This was one of my final
products that I tried to recreate