Native America Calling: Reclaiming and growing Hawaiian kapa traditions

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After a period of colonial suppression, traditional kapa making is enjoying a sustained resurgence.

In recent decades, a growing number of Native Hawaiian artists have mastered the labor-intensive process of harvesting, scraping, and soaking the bark of the wauke plant and embellishing the resulting fabric with colorful traditional designs.

A new generation of artists is benefiting from this reclaimed expertise.