Ohe Kapala

Made of bamboo 'ohe kapala are traditional Hawaiian stamps used for printing of designs onto kapa (bark cloth). The 'ohe kapala was the final step in the kapa making process but required equal amounts of patience in its execution.
 
Kapala designs were usually simple geometric patterns that created a complex story when used in conjunction with other patterns. Designs were chosen based on their meanings. Some of their meanings have been lost to time but thankfully a few still remain.