Tapa, or barkcloth, is called hiapo in the language of Niue island in central Polynesia. Most known pieces of hiapo were produced between 1850 and 1900. They are now dispersed, largely in museum collections, all over the world. The illustrations in this book, most of which are in full colour, bring together hiapo from all over the world. The authors have worked on the project for a decade, visiting museums, collecting information, travelling to Niue, talking to old people there, trying to find out how the paintings were done and who made them.