Hands On: Kapa Workshop with Page Chang

Learn the art of Hawaiian kapa making with Kumu (teacher) Page Chang of Pūkoʻa Studios in Waimānalo, Hawaiʻi at the National Museum of the American Indian. Free, Friday and Saturday, May 15–16, 11 AM, 12:30 PM, 2:30 PM Made primarily from the paper mulberry or "wauke," kapa (barkcloth) is the traditional fabric of Hawai‘i. Brought to Hawai‘i by Polynesian voyagers more than a thousand years ago, wauke is still grown and harvested locally on the islands. The outer bark of the stalk is stripped and the baste, or inner bark, is peeled, pounded over a rock with a wooden mallet, and set in water to ferment. Additional hand-carved wooden beaters called i‘e kuku are used to spread the bark into a thin cloth, which is then dried and decorated to create fabric for use in clothing, artwork, adornments, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to strip a branch of wauke and pound the baste fiber with traditional tools, and to make and take home their own piece of kapa. All ages welcome.