What Is a Ngatu? (Information Report)

What I found difficult : Was writing and having more ideas

What i found easy : Was explaining a ngatu

What I should do to improve next time : have no idea?

What Is A Ngatu?

Introduction
A ngatu is tapa cloth if you don’t know what a tapa cloth is... let me explain. Tapa is from a mulberry tree know also as hiapo and atue and cloth is a cloth. These tapa cloths are made from Tonga and as passed on for generations and it is old and traditional.

Ngatu Is Special To The Tongan Culture
Since Ngatu is only made for a special occasion they are birthdays, funerals, weddings and ceremonies. Tongan women are only allowed to make this traditional item as they sing old traditional songs, during the process of making a tapa cloth/Ngatu. This is very important to the Tongan culture which it represents respect and reverence.Occasionally it is also made for blankets, mats clothes and kites. Showing children this traditional culture can last on for a generation if their children can pass on this culture. So they can express their culture or creativity to people everywhere and get people to notice their culture and to get them to try it.

How it Ngatu made.
Although making a tapa cloth can be very hard because a specific kind of tree can’t grow in New Zealand called the mulberry tree that it’s from Tonga. Since that was said and done let me explain how Ngatu is made.First thing you need to do is peel bark from the mulberry tree and hang it outside to dry after it is dried you soak it in water and then you beat it with an ike (wooden tool) after that you dry it again a type of transport and moves it to New Zealand then people over there place the ngatu on a table top and paste the edge with a gooey paste and then you carry the ngatu outside and roll it onto the Ngatu outside the concrete and dry it in the sun. they paint the Ngatu feta'aki as a brush.

My Ngatu.
 I made my own tapa cloth with just rollers, paint, cardboard and a shiny type of cardboard but that somethings I can explain for another the inspiration came from books and the Tongan culture and also from my teacher because she bought it up anyways she told us to make patterns that were from the Tongan culture so we did my pattern is a flower that creates ripples and another pattern that I can’t explain.

The Tongan Vocabulary
The next that I will tell you is the Tongan vocabulary after all this will help you what these Tongan words mean and what they are so let me explain. Number one, feta’aki’: is a dried piece of beaten bark. Number two, hiapo: is the paper of the mulberry tree. Number three, ike: is a wooden tool for making a ngatu. Number four, koka’anga: the way of making ngatu. Number five, Ngatu: is another word for tapa. Number six, Faukei: the older women who are experienced in making the Ngtu.

Can Be Made YourSelf
Let explain how you can make a DIY tapa cloth. You need cardboard, scissors, roller (dry), ink, roller (use for putting on the ink), silver shiny cardboard, PVA glue, and paper. The first step you need to do is: cut out square shape (8 centimetres) then cut out a Tongan pattern you need at least two of them but a different patterns that go/suitable with each other (please use the brown cardboard first) Second step: is cut the same shape using the shiny cardboard and the shiny part has to be facing down cut two for each pattern (side note: gets a bit hard). The third step is to glue them down all with pva onto the square make sure the shiny cardboard is facing down. The fourth step is: roll the ink onto the pattern then put press the pattern onto the paper upside down (ink facing down onto paper) then you use the dry roller to press down onto the print so it is printed onto the paper. Rise and repeat this process with the other pattern.

The conclusion
To sum this all up tapa cloths are very important to the Tongan culture because use for lots of varieties such as like funerals, birthdays, weddings, ceremonies, clothing, and many other things that could’ve been said anyways this is why it signifies the Tongan culture because old and traditional that can be passed on for generations and can be made DIY with cardboard and paint.