Help: Tapa Cloth Pattern books/Web sites?

Hi all!

I am an interior design student, working on wallcoverings for the imaginary Polynesian Deluxe Hotel set in San Francisco. I created this hotel last Summer, when I had to select the floorcoverings for it. (Got an A+! Go tiki!)

Anyhow, I have been scouring the Internet for good examples of native tapa cloth patterns from Polynesia, but am having bad luck finding any.

Does anyone know of any books or Web sites that show good examples? I have found plenty of bark cloth patterns from the 1950s (some of which I will be using), but I really would like to see some native patterns.

Can anyone help me out here?

Mahalo!
Deery Luau

[ Edited by: Deery Luau on 2005-02-16 13:05 ]

It's late and my brain is ready for meltdown, but my Grandfather brought back a huge stack of Tapa from all over polynesia back in the late 30's. I have some of it. He wrote a book called polynesian venture (doubleday) By Truman Bailey. Write if you want more info. Aloha nui loa

Amazon.com

Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson (April 1, 1998)
ISBN: 0500279896

Looks like it's out of print, but Amazon has a used copy for $178.00 (!)

Hm, that book looks perfect. I am hoping my college's library or the Baltimore public library has a copy...

$178! What the?!

Will also check out Wes' granddaddy's book, if I can find a copy!

Thanks for the leads, guys!

I've given this advice before, talk to your local library's research/reference librarian about Tapa Cloth, if there're books on the subject anywhere in the state they can request'em for you. Some librarys don't charge for this service, some might charge charge a dollar or two, some charge as much as $10 dollars (but usually only for books from across the state or across the country). Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library has Marina & the Maryland Interlibrary Loan Organization. Book transfers withing the state are free, & it's $5 for books from anywhere else in the country.

Amazon.com has 4 other listings for books about Tapa Cloth, all out of print & limited availability, but you can ask the reference librarian to start there: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/ref=dp_searchBox_1/103-1288895-4456623?url=index%3Dbooks%26dispatch%3Dsearch%26results-process%3Dbin&field-keywords=tapa+cloth

Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2005-02-17 07:18 ]

I just typed in 'tapa' on a google image search and came up with dozens of pictures. Good ones too.

Addition: Make that 'tapa cloth'.

[ Edited by: pariartspaul on 2005-02-17 13:57 ]

I used Google, too, but couldn't find any good pics. Hrm...

Deery Luau, did you use Google or Google Images?

http://images.google.com/images?q=tapa+cloth&hl=en

Wow, I was looking at some of those images and came across this site by "Adventure Traveller" Galen R. Frysinger of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Very cool. The guy's traveled the world and has posted some of the pics that's taken. Here's the Pacific Islands section:

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/pacific.htm

Holy smokes! I had no idea that Google Images existed!

Thank you thank you thank you!!!
You just made my life so much easier!

I knew my TC ohana could help me...you guys are the best!

Deery Luau