Kapa

Kapa is a fabric that was made by Native Hawaiians from the bast fibres of certain species of trees and shrubs in the orders Rosales and Malvales. It is similar to tapa found elsewhere in Polynesia but differs in the methods used in its creation. Kapa was based primarily on the creative combination of linear elements that cross and converge to form squares, triangles, chevrons and diagonal forms, giving a feeling of boldness and directness. (The Hawaiian /k/ phoneme corresponds to Polynesian /t/.) Kapa was used primarily for clothing like the malo worn by men as a loincloth and the pāʻū worn by women as a wraparound. Kapa was also used for kīhei used over the shoulders. Other uses for kapa depended on caste and a person's place in ancient Hawaiian society.