The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-07-02

at the right of the entrance. Prof.
Brigham has placed about 12O small
specimens of these kappa clothes, and
as the light strikes through them the
color and fibre work are beautifully
brought out, so as to show their
makeup. The more delicate kinds
look like the finest of lace work,
while the coarser ones appear
as thick as buckskin. These
Kapas indicate considerable skill in
workmanship and especially in the
colorlng, which has remained for
centuries unfaded, showing that
the manufacturers had q secret,
which has in measure been lost to
the present generation. They are
seldom made nova days, though
there are few persons, generally
women, on Kauai and Maui, who
still make them for sale as curiosi-
ties, but the coloring is mostly done
with modern dyes, which are not so
rich and bright as those made form
erly.
A HAWAIIAN CLOTH FACTORY.
Some twenty years ago, while
making the circuit of East Maui on
horseback, and passing through one
of the deep and picturesque gulches
of Koolau, my attention was at
tracted to a rapid beating of sticks
in grass house, resembling the
hammering in coOper's shop. On
entering the house, I found that I
had stumbled on a genuine KAPPA
factory, were several native women
were engaged in beating bark, and
making different kinds of cloth.
was naturally much interested in
process which / had never before
witnessed. The wauke plant, a spe-
cies of mulberry, grew near by and
furnished the bark used in the fac
tory. When taken from the grow
ing tree, the bark was partially
dried, then separated from the stalk,
soaked in water, after which it was
ready for the beating process. There
are several grades of this bark, the
finest being selected for the muslin
varietyrI az cloth, the coarser for
men, and wonen's wear, while ia
The 1ooarser bvk was used in max
corpus Sed covers,etc. The coloring
I'LL Fran afterw IDS, and only by
ng Is chargeuzans,N may be seen by
J done~a somehe bStiful bright col
rained artl July desks of some of the
t.;no le s9g the TnaHthsare
RS and tasty re lea
pecimens in eg all serva To show
.iso the tools used msnnfactnra If
ure may be seen. &SituteoS the onlv
This depression w Hawaiians wac
o visitors that the ried on by train
zapas, which considerable merit.
clothing Of ancient
an art, skillfully ca1d
I'd artizans of consit. fhe museum pos
vuable collection,
NAiiA0 Hsper; some plain,
OF ancient mats, Z finest are made
sesses rare and vaIFNiihau grass or
about sixty in numBsrpassed even by
others colored. Theg grass of which
from the celebratedama hats are made.
rush, species no these mats, like that
the rare and delit art in which but q
the expensive PACED, and these were
The making of j The service was a
of kapas, was an-nd often poorly paid,
few were enga were generally taken
mostly women. ineir retalners. Coca
laborious one, a q were woven in these
as the choicest ISL of various colors.
by chiefs and t V, a native brought
sionally fguresl tautiful new Niihau
mats, by using grps family had been
Some years agobel years. In size it
to Honolulu bqixteen feet, and had
mat, on which him the native Ian.
working for sewers commandments, SC
measured six by aery word could be
worked into it, the longer verses
guage, the ten des across the mat
distinctly that el commenced a para
read. Some of wonderful piece O.
made several liz much skill and grea
but each verse pr fellow asked only
graph. 1t was sb of labor. A tours
work, exhibitingk and finding it to b.
labor. The polbhoice Niihau mat, TO
| SIS for his yearleen searching, pulled
happened along and took the prize
a genuine and I've If he would brin!
which he had Hnld pay him the sam
out $25 in goldpportunities to secur
telling the natS seldom occur It ma
another, he wdn passing, that as tn
! price. Such ON if arg, like that c
rare Es sa spscI%sn cal oe laSon 1i yee
3 number of mkS ~ Dollar fine
kappa decided agaiast the W
: the crstertt Co, rrect. Z
anassbelr al ;lod .aem! 49, he ri
kaS' are noF tesely obtainabse ret
(T'o be contsnuea.1 V:
4 ID: .wHirsvv