Mānoa Heritage Center

Traditional Hand-Painted Kapa Design using Hala Brushes

SAT MAR 14, 9 am – 12  pm

1 session - $70.00 (including materials kit)

Join Kumu Wes Sen to explore pre-contact kapa design using traditional hala (Pandanus tectorius) “key” brushes and natural dye made from kukui (Aleurites moluccana) and noni (Morinda citrifolia). Kukui root, mixed with black soot makes black dye, while kukui root juice mixed with lepo alaea makes reddish brown. Noni root juice makes a yellow dye and when burnt coral (lime calcium hydroxide) is added, it creates a scarlet red dye. Pre-contact kapa pieces were hand-painted with a hala brush and Lapa (bamboo liners). ʻOhe kāpala were not made until metal tools were readily available; for more information about the tradition of kapa decoration using Lapa: https://kealopiko.shorthandstories.com/lapa-lapa/index.html.

Mahalo to our friends at Kealopiko for providing this lapa mo‘olelo and manaʻo!

Inspired by works in the Hawaiʻi: a kingdom crossing oceans exhibiion currenty on view at the British Museum, participants will receive two pieces of calligraphy paper to practice their designs and one 12” x 12” piece of tapa for their final design.

1-session: $70.00 (includes all materials)

Limited to 20 students.