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Samoan Material Culture

Smoked Cloth

Smoked Cloth

Plain cloth was occasionally colored by subjecting it to the action of smoke, whereupon it became smoked cloth (siapo fa'aasu). Such cloth was worn only by the village maids or chiefs' sons.

A smoke house (fale fa'asu) was formed of a number of light poles arranged to enclose a fireplace at their lower ends. The upper ends were tied together at a point.

The cloth after being pasted together was rubbed by hand with coconut cream (pe'epe'e). A fire was lighted in the enclosure and after it had burnt down to glowing coals, the cloth was wrapped around the frame to form a tent-like structure. Outside of that, old, used mats were wrapped around to prevent the escape of the smoke about to be generated.

Material, to give off smoke, was placed on the coals by raising the side of the tent. The materials used were:

(1).The root or underground stem of ti split into longitudinal lengths.
(2).The outer covering the green sugar cane stalks (pa'u tolo).
(3).The ngatae wood (Erythrina indica).

The Cordyline and sugar cane smoke produce a yellowish brown; ngatae gives a much deeper brown. The soaking with coconut cream enables the smoke to penetrate the texture and thus give a lasting color. The cloth is moved from time to time in order that the whole surface may be evenly smoked.