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Friday, January 7, 2011

A shame indeed

The rain came down overnight while we were away on holiday and the family in the tent behind us at the campsite were drying out their belongings.  A large tapa cloth was flung over a wall and walked over to have a look at it.  The tapa cloth was soaking wet, the layers were coming apart, and it was was full of holes.
DSCF5152
“We just use it as a ground sheet”, the young couple told me.  I told them that tapa cloth was completely made by hand, and was a highly revered item in the Islands, and usually given as gifts for weddings and funerals. “It doesn’t matter”, they told me, “we’ll just chuck this one out when it gets too holey, then pick up another one from the local Auckland pawn-shop.”  It seems a shame indeed, that something so wonderful can be treated so little respect.
DSCF5153  Rips and holes everywhere

2 comments:

By Hoki Quilts said...

I'm with you on your feelings there Jenny. It just demonstrates how some in our society just think it's a disposable life we live in. The family that made that tapa deserve more respect than that. That's probably why I am so cautious as to whom I give a quilt to.
keep dry
hugs
Miche'le

texascraft said...

Love this piece of cloth what a pity it was used as a ground sheet. Maybe you need to check out the op shops