Kapa

We are pleased to present an intricate Hawaiian Kapa* by Kamuela’s Roen Hufford. Roen is the daughter of the late kapa master Marie McDonald. The tradition continues! A recent kapa exhibition at Isaacs Art Center showcased works by mother and daughter and other contemporary kapa artists. Roen has several masterworks accepted into the State Foundation for Culture and the Arts and exhibits at the Hawai‘i State Art Museum. Roen has become one of the 2023 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) National Heritage Fellows.

*Tapa or Kapa making is an art that once spanned the Pacific and reached perfection in Polynesia, especially Hawai‘i. The artistic beauty of the cloth made of pounded bark is impressive. Used for clothing, bedding, house flooring, ceremonies, and burials, kapa is an integral part of Pacific Island culture. In Hawai‘i, Malama Solomon (Mauna Kea Resort Collection), Marie McDonald, Roen Hufford, and many contemporary kapa makers have inspired a renaissance in kapa making.