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Pacific Collection - Vanuatu Bark ClothBark cloth production and distribution in the Pacific is often assumed to be a Polynesian tradition. However, Polynesian 'tapa' or bark cloth is just one particularly fine form of beaten bark cloth shared by many cultures across the Pacific and south-east Asia. The production of beaten bark cloth was also part of many ancient Melanesian traditions including certain areas of Vanuatu. In parts of northern central Vanuatu (such as Ambae, Maewo, Pentecost and parts of northern Malakula), bark cloth was sometimes produced for ritual purposes. However, in central Vanuatu (in areas like Tongoa, the Shepherds and Efate) there were bark cloth production centres and the product was traded internally. Its development in these areas may have been influenced by connections from Polynesia. Traditional bark cloth production, in most areas that used it in Vanuatu, died out extremely rapidly after the introduction of European cloth in the 19th century. The only traditional production which has managed to survive until today is on the island of Tanna. In Tanna, decorated bark cloth belts are used in rituals and to hold up male penis wrappers. The production and decoration of bark cloth belts on Tanna is done by men. 
Male barkcloth belt from Tanna.
Coming out of male seclusion rituals, interior of south-west Tanna August 1979. Young initiate on the left wears a decorated barkcloth belt and head feathers indicating hereditary status. On the island of Erromango until the late 19th century, large-scale production of beaten bark cloth was part of the women's world. It was made by women mostly for women, although often used in wider ritual contexts. The bark (and sometimes the inner bark) of at least seven different kinds of trees, bushes or vines was used in bark cloth manufacture. Women would spend hours preparing the bark cloth by beating it with wooden pounders. The prepared cloth was worn as part of female upper body dress, and was draped across the shoulders or over one shoulder and across the breasts. Decorated bark cloth was worn by the women and used ceremonially in important rituals.
VV2906 Late 19th century Erromangan woman in traditional costume photographed by Rev H. A. Robertson. She is wearing a bark cloth upper garment and 15 or more fibre skirts, with an outer skirt of decorated pandanus. Undecorated and decorated bark cloth had other utilities. Highly valued as a trade item bark cloth circulated along complex interlinked lineage connections within the island. It was also used in exchanges during elaborated chiefly alliance rituals or for chiefly funerary rituals. Contact with Europeans resulted in the disappearance of many Erromangan cultural traits. European missionaries looked down upon items of traditional manufacture. Combined with the introduction of cheap European cloth these and other influences, led to the disappearance of Erromangan bark cloth manufacture by the first quarter of the 20th century. In the 1990s a revival of Erromangan barkcloth manufacture was begun to re-establish the local continuity of this uniquely Erromango variant of a widespread tradition. The Australian Museum has the world largest collection of decorated Erromango bark cloth (dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries).
Jerry Taki, one of the Vanuatu Cultural Centre's fieldworkers from Erromango talks with Erromangan women during a workshop, at the 2nd Melanesian Arts Festival held in Port Vila, August 2002. Jerry is showing the women archival images related to bark cloth, from the Australian Museum.
Erromangan woman engraving the outer leaves for a Nomblat (pandanus leaf skirt) at one of the women's Erromango worshops during the 2nd Melanesian Arts Festival, Port Vila, August 2002. Nomblat could be traditionally worn with barkcloth, especially for ceremonial occasions.
Bark cloth beater from Erromango, Vanuatu.
Bark cloth beater from Erromango, Vanuatu.
Bark cloth from Erromango, Vanuatu.
Bark cloth from Erromango, Vanuatu.
Bark cloth from Erromango, Vanuatu.
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Copyright © Australian Museum, 2002 |
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