BARKCLOTH ART FROM SIGAVOU
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
MAKING BARKCLOTH
Barkcloth, or 'masi', as it is known in Fijian, is a time-honoured Pacific tradition. It is a cream-colored, fibrous paper hand-crafted by island women, from the bark of Paper Mulberry trees (Broussonetia papyrifera). A treasured commodity at the heart of Fijian culture, barkcloth is still used in a wide variety of ceremonies, as symbolic gifts, as clothing, and as decorative wall hangings. The masi we paint on comes from the small island of Vatulele in southern Fiji, home to my children’s grandmother. The aunts and cousins who make our masi are part of a long line of hard-working women who have passed the secrets and rituals involved in masi-making from one generation to the next, keeping a proud tradition alive. The money they earn through the sale of their masi is used to buy household essentials, school supplies, and boat fuel for the extended families that are part of their remote island community. The process of masi-making is an environmentally friendly one. Masi trees grow in sustainable plantations where new shoots regenerate from the roots remaining after each harvest. Each piece of barkcloth goes through a laborious process of beating, soaking, and drying. Production involves sea water, sun, and sweat - no chemicals! Sigavou Studios has pioneered new approaches to the use of our local barkcloth, celebrating this ancient Pacific tradition while using it to create the vibrant, contemporary artwork we are known for.
Image and Text: Š Sigavou Studios Ltd All rights reserved.
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
This painting depicts the energetic movements and exuberant spirits of traditional Fijian meke dancers performing at a welcome ceremony. Wearing grass skirts and leaves, the dancers leap, stamp, and turn in unison to the rhythm of traditional chants. The earth tones used in this painting reflect the hues of natural clay and soot paints used in traditional Fijian masi-kesa art. Size: 22 x 13 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics and pigment pen on traditional Fijian barkcloth Recommended frame: 8 x 12 inches Code: SF.RD2-XC
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“REKI ~ LET’S DANCE II” by Maria Rova
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
Every island in Fiji has its own special melody, usually sung to the gentle strumming of a guitar or ukulele. Woven into every melody is a story about the island’s history, events, and legends. Melodies like this draw friends and family together. Surrounded by nature, villagers gather around a carved wooden tanoa bowl, sipping kava. As island harmonies blend, the worries of the day melt away, and there is peace. Size: 18 x 14.5 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics on traditional Fijian barkcloth Recommended frame: 8 x 10 inches Code: SF.IM-XB
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“ISLAND MELODY” by Ravuravu Kuilalekaleka
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
“LOSE MADA III” by Maria Rova
roots of Piper methysticum, a type of pepper plant. The rhythmic sounds of men pounding kava roots echo from village to village at sunset. A coconut shell, or bilo, is used to serve kava from a distinctively-shaped wooden tanoa, each member of the group drinking in turn. Traditionally, a sinnet cord adorned with white cowrie shells is tied to the tanoa. The position of the cord indicates the presence of a chief. Size: 22 x 13 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics and pigment pen on traditional Fijian barkcloth Recommended frame: 8 x 12 inches Code: SF.LM3-XC
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
Lose mada!: Have some kava! Fijian culture revolves around the communal drinking of yaqona, or kava, a beverage made from the
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
Wasekaseka are ceremonial necklaces crafted from carved strips of sperm whale tooth strung on to cords made from finely plaited coconut fibre. Necklaces like these, now associated with traditional Fijian culture, were first brought to our islands by canoe craftsmen from Tonga, who presented them as gifts to Fijian chiefs. They were worn by both men and women. Size: 22 x 13 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics and pigment pen on traditional Fijian barkcloth Recommended frame: 8 x 12 inches Code: SF.WA2-XC
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“WASEKASEKA II” by Maria Rova
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
A wooden Fijian drum, or lali, is a common site in rural villages and public places throughout our islands. Fashioned from a single piece of vesi timber, a lali is beaten in rhythmic fashion to signify the start of a meeting, ceremony, church service, or school day. Lali-carving is an indigenous craft unique to traditional woodcarvers from remote islands in the Lau group. Size: 22 x 13 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics on traditional Fijian barkcloth Recommended Frame: 8 x 12 inches Code: SF.LF-XC
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“LALI WITH FRANGIPANI” by Maria Rova
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
Highly prized gifts (kamunaga) presented at traditional Fijian ceremonies include “tabua”, or polished sperm whale teeth: the ultimatesymbol of honour and respect in Fijian society. Exchanged during ceremonies of welcome, birth, death, and marriage, and in the peaceful settling of disputes and inauguration of chiefs, tabua are passed from one clan and one generation to the next, in an endless cycle of ceremony that keeps Fiji’s unique culture alive. Size: 22 x 13 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics on traditional Fijian barkcloth Recommended Frame: 8 x 12 inches Code: SF.GT-XC
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“NA KAMUNAGA” by Maria Rova
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
The young artist who designed this painting belongs to a clan of traditional wood carvers and boat builders, from the far-flung islands of Lau, in south-eastern Fiji. His ancestors were famous for navigating the high seas with huge, doubled-hulled canoes known as ‘drua’. Guided by ocean currents, moon, sun, and stars, these voyagers had highly skilled navigation systems that took them to far horizons and beyond. Sighting a turtle was a good omen, as turtles were considered symbols of wisdom and blessing. Size: 16 x 13 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics on dyed barkcloth Recommended Frame: 8 x 10 inches Code: SF.DR-XA
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“DRUA” by Ravuravu Kuilalekaleka
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
“Sere Kali” refers to mythical poems or chants, often performed by traditional Fijian dancers. These sacred songs are passed from generation to generation by the “Dau Ni Vucu”, or meke dance teachers, who, through song and dance, have kept tribal legends alive to this day. This is one in a set of barkcloth paintings depicting this vibrant form of story-telling unique to Fijian culture.” Size: 11 x 18 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics on dyed barkcloth Recommended Frame: 8 x 10 inches Code: SF.SK3-XA Code: SF.SK4-XA
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“SERE KALI III (left) & “SERE KALI IV” (right) by Maria Rova
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
Fijians have fine-tuned the art of relaxing - of living in the moment, with music and laughter an integral part of daily island life. After a hard day’s work under the tropical sun, the soft strains of guitars and ukuleles can often be heard as the evening sky turns golden, and villagers gather around a carved wooden tanoa bowl to drink kava, reminisce, and join in spontaneous yet harmonious sing-alongs known as ‘sigidrigi’. Size: 11 x 18 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics on dyed barkcloth Recommended Frame: 8 x 10 inches Code: SF.ST-XB
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“SIGIDRIGI TIME” by Ravuravu Kuilalekaleka
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
The Fijian way of life is closely intertwined with nature. To this day, many of the plants and animals that share our islands and reefs with us are imbued with cultural significance. Sea turtles are considered to be symbols of wisdom, and harbingers of good fortune and blessing. I hope we all return the favour to these ancient reptiles by protecting them from accelerated climate change and ocean pollution... Size: 19 x 12.5 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics on dyed barkcloth Recommended frame: 8 x 10 inches Code: SF.WW-XB
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“THE WELL-WISHER” by Maria Rova
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
Wasekaseka are ceremonial necklaces crafted from carved strips of sperm whale tooth strung on to cords made from finely plaited coconut fibre. Necklaces like these, now associated with traditional Fijian culture, were first brought to our islands by canoe craftsmen from Tonga, who presented them as gifts to Fijian chiefs. They were worn by both men and women. Size: 20 x 28 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics on traditional Fijian barkcloth Recommended Frame: 13 x 10 inches Code: SF.WA1-XE
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“WASEKASEKA I” by Maria Rova
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
‘Meke Ni Yaqona’ is a lively dance performed by young men during welcome ceremonies in Fiji. Wearing grass skirts and leaves, the men leap, stamp, and turn in unison to the rhythm of traditional chants, as a ceremonial drink is prepared from yaqona roots. The energetic movements and exuberant spirit of this dance are portrayed using the earth tones of traditional Fijian barkcloth art. Size: 33 x 33 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics and pigment pen on dyed barkcloth Recommended Frame: 16 x 16 inches Code: SF.MY-XG
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“MEKE NI YAQONA” by Maria Rova
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
Graceful and strong, Fijian women move across the village green in procession, bearing traditional gifts: an earthenware cooking pot, a basket of cassava, a hand-woven mat. Time-honored ceremonies of gift-giving cement communal bonds, marking another turn in the cycle of life. After the solemn rituals, the exuberant merry-making unique to Fijians will begin! And the children are always there in the midst of everything, sheltered by extended family, absorbing the cultural traditions that give identity, from birth to death. Size: 33 x 33 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics and pigment pen on traditional Fijian barkcloth Recommended Frame: 16 x 16 inches Code: SF.MG-XG SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
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“MARAMA WITH GIFTS” by Maria Rova
SPIRIT OF FIJI COLLECTION
Still today, Fijian culture is rich in authentic traditions, many of which revolve around hospitality and upholding of meaningful relationships. ‘Yau Talei Kei Viti’, or ‘Treasures of Fiji’, features ceremonial objects such as a carved wooden kava bowl and coconut shell cups, used to serve yaqona to visitors. An honored guest will often be garlanded with a ’salusalu’ of pungent flowers, while the gifting of a ‘tabua’ or whales tooth is a symbol of highest respect in our islands. Size: 50 x 25 cm (unframed) Medium: Acrylics and pigment pen on traditional Fijian barkcloth Recommended frame: 23.5 x 13.5 inches Code: SF.YT-XG
SIGAVOU STUDIOS PO Box 10244. Nadi Airport, Fiji Islands sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com
Image and Text: © Sigavou Studios Ltd: All rights reserved.
“YAU TALE KEI VITI” by Maria Rova
Sigavou staff sun out sheets of barkcloth in our studios garden.
CREATING OUR BARKCLOTH ART: Our barkcloth paintings come in numbered, limited edition series of 150 to 600. Each piece of art is painted by hand, with careful attention to detail and workmanship. Inspired by Fiji’s traditional masi kesa artists, we apply layers of colour to our barkcloth with sponges, using a series of stencils. Details are added in freehand, often using metallic gold or silver paint for the line work. Our barkcloth art is then mounted on to backing card, with a signed Certificate of Authenticity attached to the back. Since most of our end-buyers are based overseas, we generally sell the artwork unframed. Encased in cellophane envelopes, the paintings are lightweight and travel easily. International flights depart daily from Fiji, making it quick and easy to ship our barkcloth art world-wide, by registered airmail or international courier. The hand-crafted barkcloth we paint on is cleaned with an anti-fungal agent and heat-treated , to ensure it retains its beautiful, natural quality.
SIGAVOU STUDIOS LTD A family-owned company founded in 1998, Sigavou Studios prides itself in its reputation as a source of high-quality, unique artwork . Our flagship product is original art by company director Maria Rova. A look through our studio gallery will reveal the trademarks of Maria’s work: Eye-catching , contemporary designs on pure silk and traditional Fijian barkcloth - all of them infused with Maria’’s love of Pacific Island life ! Maria was raised in the United States and Europe, but has lived and worked in Fiji for the past 25 years. Her art is inspired by Fiji’s tropical environment and the rich cultural traditions of her Fijian family. However, Maria’s international background gives her the added edge of feeling at home in a variety of cultures; her artwork is sought after by corporate clients and collectors from around Fiji and across the world. Apart from the women from Maria’s extended family who supply our hand-crafted barkcloth, Sigavou Studios employs a team of young emerging artists and studio technicians to assist with the design and production of hand-painted limited edition art on barkcloth and silk. Fiji-style gifts and mementos such as hand-painted barkcloth book marks and greeting cards are also part of our product range. We look forward to sharing the warmth and vibrant colors of our Pacific Island home with you too!
With warm Fijian greetings from all of us at Sigavou Studios!
Maria Rova Creative & Managing Director Sigavou Studios Ltd PO Box 10244, Nadi, Airport, Fiji Islands Tel: (679) 672 0717 Cell: (679) 935 0421 sigavou@connect.com.fj www.art-sigavou.com