3 o 4 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



almost impossible to tell where the pieces overlie one another. The sheet 

 is then spread upon the grass and exposed to the sun to bleach. These 

 sheets may be very large, one we measured being 160 feet long and 12 

 feet wide, but Williams mentions a sheet 180 yards long! 



After being bleached, they produce a pattern upon the tapa with a 

 brown dye derived from the Aleurites triloba, the dull color of which 

 is relieved at intervals by large black circular spots, thus by contrast 

 giving a bright and effective pattern. This process of decorating is de- 

 scribed in detail by Thomas Williams in his most interesting work upon 

 " Fiji and the Fijians." Strips of bamboo are placed in the form of 

 the design upon a flat surface, or the design is carved in relief in a 

 board. Then the tapa is stretched over the template and the cloth 

 rubbed with the dye, whereupon the color adheres to all raised places and 

 fails to appear in the hollows, and a "printed" pattern is produced. 

 So characteristic are the checquered patterns of the tapas of the several 

 islands that the locality of each piece can be determined upon the most 

 casual inspection. The black and white tapas of Taviuni are most ef- 

 fective, and those of Lakemba probably the most artistic made in the 

 group. It seems strange that although these tapas have for ages been 

 printed in designs, little or no meaning was associated with the details 

 of the pattern. There were, however, certain appropriate patterns for 

 weddings and other ceremonies, and the flags of the various classes of 

 warriors were more or less distinctive. Thus at Eewa the banner of 

 the king's or high chief's party was white with four or five vertical 

 black stripes at one end, that of the vunivalu or general had horizontal 

 stripes, and that of the land owners was plain white. Yet the tapa 

 flags never became tribal emblems, on the one hand, or personal coats- 

 of-arms, on the other, but remained merely class badges, and thus no 

 precise symbolism was associated with the designs. 



In groups other than Fiji the inner bark of the bread-fruit tree, 

 and of the yellow hibiscus Paritium tiliaceum are used in making tapa. 

 Yellow turmeric, bone charcoal, brilliant red and rich brown dyes, are 

 displayed upon tapas of the Pacific. 



The art must surely disappear, for Manchester is now printing 

 calicos in the patterns of the native tapas and these are being sold to 

 the islanders, who prefer them to designs of their own making. In some 

 groups traders have brought in anilin dyes which the natives call " mis- 

 sionary colors," the word "missionary" being applied to almost any 

 newly introduced thing. Thus is an ancient and primitive art being 

 debased, and another means of employment must disappear from native 

 life. At the time of the author's visits the beating of the ikis (mallets) 

 was the most characteristic sound in a Fijian village, but in a few more 

 years this too must go the way of many another activity which once 

 engrossed the attention and stimulated the imagination of the natives. 



Tapa in Fiji was once used for the white turbans of the chiefs and 

 the simple waist band or malo worn by all men. In the case of chiefs 



