Loincloth

Bark Cloth

A long, rectangular malo (loincloth) made of the inner bark of a tree. The malo is made of thick kapa (bark cloth). One half of the malo is stained red. The other half of the loincloth has a yellow border with stamped zigzags. The designs were created with bamboo stamps (‘ohe kāpala). A square has been removed from one corner of the bark cloth.

Kapa cloth is produced from the inner bark of a tree, typically wauke (paper mulberry), which is cultivated, harvested, and processed through soaking, scraping, fermenting, and repeated beating to form and refine the cloth. Patterned beaters may be used during production to create watermarks that can reflect regional styles or maker affiliations. After drying, the cloth is decorated using natural dyes and bamboo implements.

A malo is a long, narrow strip of tapa worn as a loincloth by men.