Masi or tapa cloth, made from bark, played an important part in Fijian culture. The motifs often had symbolic meanings, and would differ depending on the use the cloth. Individual pieces would be produced for ceremonial wear, for people of rank, and for general use.

The cloth was made by stripping the bark from saplings, then pounding the strips of inner bark until they became a felted mass of fibres. They were then felted together to form large sheets of cloth. When dry, the cloth was decorated with intricate designs using natural dyes.