Name/Title
Samoan SaipoEntry/Object ID
MK_0061Description
This Samoan saipo, the black and brown fluid diamond patterns painted in painstaking detail by noted saipo maker Mary Pritchard, is part of the Hotel’s distinct collection of diverse and stunning bark cloth from across the Pacific.
This cloth, made from softened tree bark, is found in many parts of the world and known by several different names (you will note the hotel’s bespoke collection of Kapa, or Hawaiian bark cloth), but is native to the Pacific Islands, most commonly found in Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti, and right here in Hawai'i.
Samoan saipo is prepared through a special process of soaking and pounding, before being decoratively painted with vegetable dyes and oils, this cloth was originally used to make common items like clothes and floormats, alongside being used for ceremonial purposes.
This treasured piece has been in the Mauna Kea's collection since 1965, when Laurance Rockefeller developed the hotel, and was very recently restored. You might see this object referred to as Tapa in historic collection reference materials, but recent research by the Mauna Kea team has revealed a more accurate way to refer to this object.Made/Created
Place
Country
SamoaContinent
OceaniaDimensions
Height
24 inWidth
3/4 inLength
35 inHeight
28-7/8 inWidth
2-7/8 inLength
40-1/8 inLocation
Area
7th Floor Makai-North WingFloor
7th FloorBuilding
Main Tower* Untyped Location
Storage ShedFloor
7th FloorBuilding
Main TowerFloor
7th FloorBuilding
Main TowerFloor
4th FloorBuilding
Beach Wing