This spring, four students from the CTC assisted with the Conservation of Polynesian Barkcloth & Practical Siapo Barkcloth Making workshop held at the University of Glasgow. The three-day workshop combined presentations and practical work led by two members of the research project Tapa: Situating Pacific Barkcloth Production in Time and Place, and two practising barkcloth artists and teachers from American Samoa. Research Conservator, Misa Tamura, and Scientific Research Associate, Dr Margaret Smith, led conservation and research sessions, while Reggie Meredith Fitiao and Uilisone Fitiao led sessions on the history, materials, and processes of siapo (Samoan barkcloth) production.
As workshop volunteers, Megan Creamer, Kim Tourret, Eva Catic and Staphany Cheng describe a few of their experiences during the workshop.