A species of specially cultivated paper mulberry tree (Broussenetia papyrifera) is the plant most commonly used in each of the barkcloth producing islands in the Pacific. Stripped from the layer of outer bark the fibres of the inner bark are softened and spread by scraping and prepeated beating with a mallet over a log generally know as masi. Plain white cloth, masis lulavula was made for traditional us. Patterning, common to Fijian masi today, appears to be in response to European taste. Dyes derived from tree resin soot and extrcts from tree bark or roots mixed with the juice from the bark of the candlenut tree give black and red pigments. In the north islands these colours are applied to the cloth through stencils using a wad of barkcloth. Stencils were traditionally made of banana or pandanus leaf although x-ray film when available if preferrd these days. The design is applied first to the outer edges of the masi, and worked inwards to the centre.

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Bosence Gallery
Inspiration Gallery
Susan Bosence
Resist Dyeing
Block Printing