Hiapo is the barkcloth of Niue, made from the ata (mulberry tree) and used at important events, such as a hair-cutting ceremony. The designs that embellish this fabric come from nature and the people of Niue, rich motifs of the environment and culture. Cora-Allan Wickliffe has documented the patterns of hiapo so that the wonder of this artform can be passed on to new generations.
Cora-Allan Wickliffe is a multi-disciplinary artist and curator of Maori and Niuean descent. A contemporary practitioner of the Niuean tradition of barkcloth known as hiapo, she is credited with reviving the "sleeping artform" which has not been practised in Niue for several generations. Her work is very important to the Niuean community and has been exhibited in Australia, Aotearoa, England and Niue. She has already had a sell-out exhibition in New Zealand and her work is in the collections of Te Papa and Auckland Museum. Wickliffe has a Masters in Visual Art and Design from AUT.
