Object of the Week: Tongan Tapa Cloth

BMCA 2000.32.1

This tapa cloth was purchased in 1930 in Nuku’alofa, the capitol of Tonga. Tongans call tapa cloth ‘ngatu’. It is made from the bark of the Mulberry tree. Bark from young trees is stripped off and the inner layers are soaked in water to soften them. The strips of bark are then pounded with wooden pounders to thin and widen them. When the cloth gets to a certain size, strips can be glued together to form a larger cloth. Wooden plates “kupesi boards” with designs are placed under the bark and the cloth is pressed to imprint the design. The tapa is then left to dry. Once it has dried the details are painted in by hand. Tongan tapa cloths are typically brown and black. Women are the tapa makers and traditionally work in groups. Tapa cloth is still important to the culture of Tonga. Below is a quote from the website of the “Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs.”
“The sound of wooden mallets beating out lengths of ngatu is heard from early morning until sunset, making it one of the most familiar sounds in Tonga. Not only is the process of ngatu making important to carrying on the traditions of the Tongan people but it is also a great source of news and information. Through the groups of women who work side by side all day in the ngatu houses, the news is spread. As they beat, they never stop swapping tales of days gone by as well as stories from the present.




The tapa cloth is always hand made and remains an important component in the social life of the Kingdom. For such events as a wedding, a royal occasion, or a funeral, large amounts of this hand made cloth are necessary as gifts. Although the ngatu is most prized when beaten into long lengths of cloth, there are other types of uses such as mats, lining for baskets and beautiful wall hangings.”

Objects of the Week: 14th Century Thai Ceramics

BMCA# 90.5.73

The Bowers Museum is lucky to hold in its collection a number of fine examples of Thai pottery. The following are two of our finest examples from the 14th century. These objects are in astoundingly good condition and originate from the Sawankhalok region of Thailand just north of the modern city of Chang Mai. The different characteristics of the ceramics illustrate the highly specialized Thai pottery industry of the era, whose abundant individual potters produced unique objects for individual buyers.

The globular vessel utilizes white and blue glazes and has a repeating phoenix motif; both glaze colors and motif are borrowed from the Chinese. The bowl is glazed celadon green and has interior decorations of concentric lotus blossoms and leaves. This vegetal motif is commonly used in the center of bowls and plates and is regularly found on all types of Thai ceramic vessels. The bases of both pieces were intentionally left unglazed as was the preference at the time they created. Artistic mastery and individualism can be seen in the designs and both objects are full of movement, even giving a sense of audio-visual synesthesia.

Between the 14th and 16th centuries pottery production in Thailand grew and intensified in response to the Chinese government’s ban on exportation of domestic goods. Post-Mongol rule left Chinese rulers cautious of foreigners (barbarians) and those who did not recognize the superiority of the emperor were unable to establish commercial trade. This drastically disrupted commerce and Chinese merchants were forbidden to engage in oversees trading. As a result ceramic production in Thailand flourished as potters met the stylistic demands and production of goods no longer available from China. Similarly the Thai also learned and adopted the technique to produce glazed stoneware from surrounding South East Asian nations whose exports also increased during the time of Chinese trade restrictions. Eagerly accepting foreign influence, the Thai masterfully modified and developed practices into their own local and individual styles.

Object of the Week: Wedding Dress, 1902

BMCA 32216a

The Bowers Museum has a rarely seen, but wonderful textile collection. Among this collection are costumes and accessories from Santa Ana’s early families. Pictured here is the wedding dress of Laura Potter Warner. She was the adopted daughter of George and Margaret Warner, owner of “Warner’s Nursery” in Santa Ana. The dress is part of a wonderful collection that includes photographs of the bride (shown), groom, minister and bridal party. The bride’s hair ribbon, camisole and shoes; a wedding invitation, marriage license, and a newspaper article describing the wedding (transcribed below) are also part of the collection. The wedding took place in Santa Ana on Wednesday, August 19, 1902.
“Warner-Packard”
“A pretty wedding occurred this afternoon at the home of Geo. B. Warner on Hermosa Street in which his daughter Miss Laura Warner and Leroy M. Packard were united in marriage, Rev. Myron Cooley of the Immanuel Baptist Church officiating. The ceremony was performed in a bower of green, and the parlors were tastefully decorated with ferns. The bride was beautiful in a gown of French lawn. A wedding luncheon was served after the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Packard left on the afternoon train for a short tour of Southern California points and will be at home in Santa Ana in a week.
The bride is one of Santa Ana’s most talented and popular young ladies and though news of her marriage will come as a surprise to many of her friends, they will unite in wishing her all happiness. Mr. Packard is the son of Prof. W.A. Packard and is well known here as a young man of sterling worth and integrity.”