Welcome to the Tiki Central 2.0 Beta. Read the announcement
Tiki Central logo
Celebrating classic and modern Polynesian Pop

Tiki Central / Collecting Tiki

All things Tapa, Photos and more....

Pages: 1 22 replies

T
tikiskip posted on 06/04/2015

Don't think there is a thread on this yet.
I have cut up some Tapa to make lights before and thought it was a shame to do that.
So I thought it would be nice to show it here in full sheet form before I cut it and
even show the light made out of it after.

This would be a good place for books, lamps shades and other Tapa items as well.

Tapa was used in the Kahiki, Trader Vic's, Don the Beachcombers, heck almost all tiki bars really.
It was put on the walls and made into lights.
Tapa is very tiki.
It can be pricy though.

Got this book via eBay, it's not that good really.
Not many pictures, would not buy again.

2 Foot by 3 Foot sheet of Fiji Tapa.


¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸TIKISKIP,Lights,ECT¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸¨•.¸¸

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/50f334c6.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=0bbe6eec3a8771aa2931ca833b1c9a0f
Lights for home and
commercial TIKI bars.


R Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/168526c570cb49a308f75b14386bfbfd?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
RevBambooBen posted on 06/05/2015

Here's a small piece of Tapa Cloth that I used on Todd Rundgren's Tiki Bar on Kauai aka Tiki Iniki

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/558/5570fbcb.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=352a81296056e4d2ed6635834cdc5ee2

( myself, Bamboo Ben on the left and Todd rundgren on the right )

T
tikiskip posted on 06/05/2015

Great addition Ben!
Think of all the time it took to make that.

T
tikiskip posted on 06/05/2015

Ok you got you sheet of Tapa now what?
We saw that BambooBen™ used Tapa on Todd Rundgren's Tiki Bar on Kauai aka Tiki Iniki.

BUT you could make a light out of it.

Tikiskip light.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b03f.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=50929d4450f6b65e04f29f68e9359b90
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b045.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=3ee265a755eb37a1ddd17946e95dc5f4
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b04e.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=3eaba4907cd1d250d897b55c6adecf45
Oceanic Arts light
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b289.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=21299584bbc694eef7a9aef5f4645e88
Light by Monkeyman.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b0e1.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=45385241b0c31575ba429b4610d7a8d4
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b122.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=ab9354e29582d1044d1b96a05ca833b8
Light by Kahaka.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b14f.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=64f2612022784c465a5cdd0b8ebfa8ea

You could use it to make a lamp shade.
First lamp shade from the Kahiki in Columbus, Ohio.(Not real Tapa by made to look like Tapa)
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b20c.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=43c4c2484094b3c17da6fee030959b97

Later version of Kahiki lamp shade. (again not real tapa, but Tapa inspired)
Copy by Tikiskip.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b99d.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=e6e355ceb9bd50ca52786731e3f1a804

Lamp shade by Tikiskip.
This is real Tapa.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b83a.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=c3bdf1b48308aa5a9463098d3b348272

You could take the idea of Tapa patterns and use as décor for the front of your restaurant...
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b164.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=9f35c201dc1ab0137da020495a80270b

Or even on the walls.
Trader Vic's San Francisco.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571bb69.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=420b0e1f37edb8237b523a0e119c3045

Many more ideas to come.


•:•:••:•:••:•:••:•:••:•:••:"If you do fine work you will never die":••:•:••:•:••:•:••:•:••:•:•
TIKISKIP
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/50f334c6.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=0bbe6eec3a8771aa2931ca833b1c9a0f
Lights for home and
commercial TIKI bars.


[ Edited by: tikiskip 2015-06-05 08:10 ]

R Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/168526c570cb49a308f75b14386bfbfd?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
RevBambooBen posted on 06/05/2015

I used over 30 different Tapa Cloths ( Fijian and Tongan/Samoan) on the walls at the Kona Club in Oakland, Ca. Most of them came from the owner as he has been collecting them for many moons.
We even used a few Kapa Cloths from Hawaii. Here's a couple in the hallway to the bathrooms.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/558/5571d44e.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=a6b9ab7b25cd2e1b9680349f2076195e

T
tikiskip posted on 06/05/2015

So if a pro like Ben uses Tapa you know it's Tiki.
Thanks Ben.

How about a desk top.
Bill Sapps desk from the Kahiki, No this one IS bills, Believe me.(Right Greg?)
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b1dc.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=bd0639bcb1dcb45715ab0c9fdcaa0e1f
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b1ec.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=4ff75d64cf1f18318b1990f527e62133

Tapa inspired Gift shop bag Kahiki, date unknown.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/5571b9bd.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=372288003cb24720e099e1f843007889

Déjà vu


ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø"˜¯¯¨˜"ø
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/513cdf64.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=cbdf55bd1f8fd9d04df00a9afa2f07eb

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2015-06-05 15:24 ]

R Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/168526c570cb49a308f75b14386bfbfd?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
RevBambooBen posted on 06/06/2015

Here's a Tongan/Samoan style Tapa Cloth that I used in the back hut at Frankie's Tiki Room ( behind Moss and myself. press pic for when it first opened).
This Tapa Cloth has a lot of meaning to it. A really good Aussie friend of mine had her life taken away in Las Vegas . This Tapa was made for her funeral. Her brother ( a really good friend of mine too) asked me if I wanted it a few years later. I told him I have the perfect use for it.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/1282/49389978.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=1de5e16dfdaee87bc3ced33963e9589f

D Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/02fda1af943fa800b4526bf84202312a?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
danlovestikis posted on 06/06/2015

That's so sad. I'll remember this next time we go to Frankie's. You mad a beautiful room. Wendy

T
tikiskip posted on 06/10/2015

Good point Ben Tapa was used in rituals as well as other uses.
Here is a YouTube video of Tapa.

Remember they had to grow and tend to the mulberry trees.
Then harvest the bark used in making the cloth as well as make the inks and dyes.
Many steps in making this cloth.
These steps can be found on YouTube.

And Wendy even used a tapa like pattern on some of her mugs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7Cap1ypBMg&list=PLJM1HAV0dGD0UFmjZm-p97UW6vzik-Kgn&index=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rDLNEDrpWw&list=PLJM1HAV0dGD0UFmjZm-p97UW6vzik-Kgn&index=2

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2015-06-09 17:28 ]

H Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/fd5eae298d1131eb2381bc5c69f202ec?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
hiltiki posted on 06/12/2015

Here are my Tapa lamps and stuff, all from Oceanic Arts. I got them in late 1990's.

This piece is quiet large about 3 1/2 feet high.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/2046/557a3005.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=dd14952f9b9a8628289696ad3d1e0ba0

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/2046/557a301a.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=1f384e5e64f7274746d5dc7c2a089304

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/2046/557a2e56.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=2c4c3e5ef3ab83328aaf370cbc09a925

T
tikiskip posted on 06/12/2015

On 2015-06-11 18:08, hiltiki wrote:
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/2046/557a301a.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=1f384e5e64f7274746d5dc7c2a089304

This is a cool light.
Is it on a pole?
Does it have four sides?

show a few more shots please.

Thanx for adding!

R Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/168526c570cb49a308f75b14386bfbfd?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
RevBambooBen posted on 06/12/2015

T-Skip,

Looks like a Tapa Sconce. OA still sells them. See below


Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/558/4f4666c7.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=fe3d2793866bbe8a03420c9cebc1d344

Bamboo Ben
Custom Tropical Decor
I build Tiki Rooms for you! Just ask around :wink:
https://www.facebook.com/bamboo.ben

[ Edited by: RevBambooBen 2015-06-12 09:39 ]

R Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/168526c570cb49a308f75b14386bfbfd?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
RevBambooBen posted on 06/12/2015
R Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/168526c570cb49a308f75b14386bfbfd?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
RevBambooBen posted on 06/12/2015

Since I'm here here are a few more things TAPA :wink: .

Here are a bunch of the lamps I repaired at the Kon Tiki Tucson back in 2006.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/558/557b06ef.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=f1eb171c1f1a53678de18632cccb33a1
AFTER

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/558/557b06e1.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=f1b95294ca4a521414f9f9c3c70f55e0
BEFORE

( College kids on Scorpion Bowls and 0% humidity reek havok on Tapa ) :wink:

R Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/168526c570cb49a308f75b14386bfbfd?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
RevBambooBen posted on 06/12/2015

And.... here are a few of my own I made recently.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/558/557b089a.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=4b91cb8e7310f438f167da3ec1a41845

Hut Lamp Swag ( but sitting on table in photo) with a mini Sam's Seafood glass float.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/558/557b088d.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=785ed1dd4504f9f5b89a53a8afdf703f

Mug Hut Swag. A Bamboo Ben Original. Show off your fave tiki mugs in style!

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/558/557b087d.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=d38154a35d01e6dd09218638a3662b07

Port Tapa Drum Hut

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/558/557b086e.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=0d580a3f88ea0b23b5c57922aaae8231

Starboard Tapa Drum Hut

The last 2 ( port and starboard) are modeled after the 2 I Did at Frankie's Tiki Room In Las Vegas( hanging over the kidney bean communal table) . This is actually Tapa left over
from when I built it. I save scraps from every build, make stuff, then pass em' on to you! :wink:

K Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/ad366aff0c466eb16443ad9b43ea0a29?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
KonaKaiBaby posted on 06/12/2015

They're wonderful RevBambooBen! I aspire to having something that beautiful and unique in our home Hokulani Lounge someday :)

T
tikiskip posted on 06/16/2015

Nice lights Ben.
Great design on all of these, love the hatch to change the bulb on the rehab lights.
I put a Tikiskip logo sticker on the Kahiki lights I have worked on to show that a rehab was done on them
and that they are from the Kahiki.

Here is my smoker.
How is a smoker going to work in a thread on Tapa?

Like this....
To see more of this smoker go to here....
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=18485&forum=18&start=795&805

Tapa smoke stack.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/55803b32.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=5ea4ce0fbe3983b92e6367222f8c80d8

THANX FOR LOOKIN/ADDIN!
More to come....

-==--==--==--==-Google "Tiki bar lights" To find TIKISKIP-==--==--==--==-
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/513ce114.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=2a4c5faa58229f2bd00978ccd0668c92
¦:-·:''"":·.-:¦:-**-:¦:-·:''"":·.-:¦

T Image Missing: https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/15c1e3a3f9bb4757c1a249a0c5d8c0d3?d=blank&s=192&fit=fill
tikilongbeach posted on 06/16/2015

Some photos for your thread.

Museum exhibit of Kanathea patterns, consisting of paper stencils and banana leaf stencils for decorating bark cloth, photographed after 1914 by Arthur Maurice Hocart. The artifacts are identified as being from Taveuni, Fiji.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/74570/55805a5e.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=ab1ba15b288a7ae09712e9ab9c917fdf

Five specimens of native "tapa" (native cloth), native pottery made from red clay and glazed, head of hair belonging to a "Kai Colo" or mountain man. Circa 1881.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/74570/55805ac3.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=b790e57106ad3ff2bb57398cb8915c2c

Tapa cloth exhibit at an agricultural show and fair in Western Samoa. Photograph taken by Alfred James Tattersall between 1880s-1930s.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/74570/55805b01.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=906028980cdb27acdad69f06a6e683ac

No need to have a boring bookshelf. Cover it in tapa.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/74570/55805c48.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=29953811794f588195c5287d827d266f

T
tikiskip posted on 06/17/2015

Nice Lori.
It's a shame not to put Tapa in a spot where you can't see it everyday.
The bookshelf idea is a great one.

Swanky has some links on how to hang Tapa here.
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=18282&forum=1&22

-==--==--==--==-Google "Tiki bar lights" To find TIKISKIP-==--==--==--==-
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/513ce114.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=2a4c5faa58229f2bd00978ccd0668c92
¦:-·:''"":·.-:¦:-**-:¦:-·:''"":·.-:¦


T
tikiskip posted on 07/13/2015

Here is some Tapa I had laying around.
Got these from OA many years ago.

For me the smaller patterns work best for lights and this is why I buy
the sheets of Tapa with smaller patterns as these sheets will one day be made into lights.

This one is 2 foot by 2 foot....
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/55a3ee0b.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=b49a319d2810ab3bdc6ad71cf4a55272

And this one is a larger 4 feet by 6 feet....
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/55a3ee12.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=be1693137301136c9f3a83c9471444c3


TIKISKIP: Maker of TIKI bar lighting, Let me make one for you.
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/50c89d57.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=00b2d797add301af84f170b8507caa71


T
tikiskip posted on 08/14/2015

Ok just saw Gilligan's Island: Lovey's Secret Admirer Season 3, Episode 19.
Well Mr. Howell and Mrs. Howell have Tapa blankets in the first part of the show.
Never saw that before.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0784361/

T
tikiskip posted on 01/08/2016

Tapa lamp shade I made.
you can see the full Tapa sheet here in this thread.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/568fc8d4.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=b6b97976858e9c3d20ca171a8b726bd8
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4035/568fc8c7.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=92480f3610ac02a210c8de93a5a3fcdc

OGR Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/11023/65676d78c1dd4.jpg?sharp=10&fit=crop&w=96&h=96&s=126f000780613ee9f91a4bbdfb7ddcc5
Or Got Rum? posted on 01/08/2016

Stunning shade...great craftsmanship. OGR

Pages: 1 22 replies