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MARO, KOMBOW, LAKE SENTANI TAPA BARK CLOTH PAINTINGS

IF YOU WISH TO SEE LARGER PHOTOS OF ANY ITEM FROM ASMATCOLLECTION, CONTACT US AT CHEETAHDMR@GMAIL.COM AND WE WILL SEND THEM.

Tapa, or Bark Cloth, is a non woven fabric decorated with figurative and abstract designs usually applied by scratching or by painting. The basic cloth-like material, produced from the inner bark, or bast, of certain trees (bark fiber), is made by stripping off the bast, soaking it, and beating it to make the fibers interlace and to reduce thickness. The most popular material is the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree, although breadfruit and fig trees are also used. Hand-painted bark cloth is limited today primarily to northern Papua New Guinea, a remote lake of Irian Jaya & Sulawesi, Celebes, Indonesia.

Bark cloth is highly distinctive, and generally took the form of maro (skirts or loincloths). Some pieces feature seemingly abstract, highly dynamic interlocked curvilinear forms, and others hybrid fish-like or lizard-like creatures, often with human faces. Sentani bark pictures are usually only three colors, black, white and red. Black is made from charcoal, white from sea-shell, red from Sentani soil. Sometimes there are natural holes within the bark and the designs.

We go straight to the source to find these treasures

All our collector and rare items come with pages and pages of research about provenance, and with history of the tribes and photos as well, depending on item and whenever possible. When shipping internationally, we group ship multiple purchases to save you money, and find the best rates available.

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized shield, Fish, Water Bugs Motifs 27" x 18" (no 40)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized shield, Fish, Water Bugs Motifs 27" x 18" (no 40)

Save $100
Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Motifs of fish and water bugs. 21" x 20,5" (no 38)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Motifs of fish and water bugs. 21" x 20,5" (no 38)

Save $121
Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Motifs of shields with eyes & fish. 21" x 17" (no 28)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Motifs of shields with eyes & fish. 21" x 17" (no 28)

Save $125
Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized People Morphing into Geckos 16" x 14" (no 25)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized People Morphing into Geckos 16" x 14" (no 25)

Save $91
Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Shield Motifs & Fish 20" x 13 1/2" (no 23)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Shield Motifs & Fish 20" x 13 1/2" (no 23)

Save $170
Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Shield Motifs 21 1/2" x 13" (no 22)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Shield Motifs 21 1/2" x 13" (no 22)

Save $160
Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Shield Motifs 23" x 18" (no 13)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Shield Motifs 23" x 18" (no 13)

Save $165
Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Sword fish, Fish, Star fish Motifs 26" x 21" (no 12)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Sword fish, Fish, Star fish Motifs 26" x 21" (no 12)

Save $185
Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Warrior Weapons, Snakes, Crocodiles, Gecko Motifs & waves 28" x 18" (no 10)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Warrior Weapons, Snakes, Crocodiles, Gecko Motifs & waves 28" x 18" (no 10)

Save $410
Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Warrior Weapons, Snakes, Crocodiles, Gecko Motifs & waves 30 1/2" x 20" (no 9)

Rare Tapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Warrior Weapons, Snakes, Crocodiles, Gecko Motifs & waves 30 1/2" x 20" (no 9)

Save $410
Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Fish Motifs & waves 36 1/2" x 23" (no 8)

Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Fish Motifs & waves 36 1/2" x 23" (no 8)

Save $380
Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Fish Motifs & waves 30" x 24" (no 5)

Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Fish Motifs & waves 30" x 24" (no 5)

Save $410
Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Fish Motifs & swordfish 29" x 26" (no 4)

Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Fish Motifs & swordfish 29" x 26" (no 4)

Save $150
Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Fish Motifs & swordfish 31.5" x 24.5" (no 3)

Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Spiritual Stylized Fish Motifs & swordfish 31.5" x 24.5" (no 3)

Save $180
Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Shields motif: lake Bugs with eyes and multiple legs, 27" x 19" (no 44)

Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Shields motif: lake Bugs with eyes and multiple legs, 27" x 19" (no 44)

Save $151
Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Motifs of Stylized Fish and Waves from Lake Sentani 24" x 20.75" (no 11)

Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Motifs of Stylized Fish and Waves from Lake Sentani 24" x 20.75" (no 11)

Save $250
Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Motifs of Stylized Lizards and Geckos with Fish in Center 34" x 24.5" (6A)

Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Motifs of Stylized Lizards and Geckos with Fish in Center 34" x 24.5" (6A)

Save $240
Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Motifs of Stylized Human Faces, Lizards and Geckos 23" x 18.5" (No 37)

Rare Maro Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Motifs of Stylized Human Faces, Lizards and Geckos 23" x 18.5" (No 37)

Save $200
CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Stylized Motifs of Woman, Fish, Lizard Motifs 25.5" x 21.5" (DFBA13)

CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa loin Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Authentic, Hand Painted with Natural Pigments by a Tribal Artist, Abstract Stylized Motifs of Woman, Fish, Lizard Motifs 25.5" x 21.5" (DFBA13)

Save $360
DOUBLE CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Abstract Stylized Motifs of Eels and Fish 32.25" x 28.5" (DFBA8)

DOUBLE CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Abstract Stylized Motifs of Eels and Fish 32.25" x 28.5" (DFBA8)

Save $350
Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments,: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish and Shield Motifs 27" x 19.5" No 43

Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments,: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish and Shield Motifs 27" x 19.5" No 43

Save $145
Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii) from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Abstract Stylized Geckos & Fish 31.5" x 19.5" No 14

Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii) from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by Tribal Artist with natural pigments: Abstract Stylized Geckos & Fish 31.5" x 19.5" No 14

Save $330
Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments, Abstract Geometric Stylized leaves & flowers Motifs 21,5"x10" No 21

Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments, Abstract Geometric Stylized leaves & flowers Motifs 21,5"x10" No 21

Save $75
Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments,: Abstract Geometric Stylized Shield Motifs 24" x 22" No 2

Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted by a Tribal Artist with natural pigments,: Abstract Geometric Stylized Shield Motifs 24" x 22" No 2

Save $160
Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish Motifs 28.5" x 20.5" Item no 1

Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish Motifs 28.5" x 20.5" Item no 1

Save $260
Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish Motifs 23" x 21" (no 34)

Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish Motifs 23" x 21" (no 34)

Save $155
Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish & Eel Motifs 16.25" x 25" (no 41)

Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish & Eel Motifs 16.25" x 25" (no 41)

Save $155
RARE OLD TORAJA TREE BARK TUNIC, PENAI OR BAJU, (SULAWESI) FROM CELEBES, INDONESIA. HAND PAINTED WITH NATURAL PIGMENTS 32" x 29"

RARE OLD TORAJA TREE BARK TUNIC, PENAI OR BAJU, (SULAWESI) FROM CELEBES, INDONESIA. HAND PAINTED WITH NATURAL PIGMENTS 32" x 29"

Save $1,625
CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Insect Motifs 28" x 22" (DFBA4)

CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Insect Motifs 28" x 22" (DFBA4)

Save $405
PAIR OF CUSTOM FRAMED Sentani Tapa Kapa Bark Cloths from Papua New Guinea. Handpainted with Natural Pigments by Tribal Artist: Abstract Stylized Insect and Butterfly Motifs 12.5" x 10.25" (DFBA1 & DFBA2)

PAIR OF CUSTOM FRAMED Sentani Tapa Kapa Bark Cloths from Papua New Guinea. Handpainted with Natural Pigments by Tribal Artist: Abstract Stylized Insect and Butterfly Motifs 12.5" x 10.25" (DFBA1 & DFBA2)

Save $210
CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish Motifs 7"x 6" DFBA7

CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Called Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Fish Motifs 7"x 6" DFBA7

Save $120
CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Turtle Motifs 11" x 9" (DFBA5)

CUSTOM FRAMED Rare Tapa Kapa Bark Cloth (Kapa in Hawaii), from Lake Sentani, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea. Hand painted with natural pigments by a Tribal Artist: Abstract Geometric Stylized Turtle Motifs 11" x 9" (DFBA5)

Save $140