PAST EVENT: This was part of the EAF25 programme.

National Museum of Scotland hosted a series of events with artist Cora-Allan from Niue, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. In this artist talk and demonstration, audiences had the chance to draw their own hiapo (barkcloth) pattern inspired by the Museum collection, and make hiapo using her traditional tools.

Cora-Allan was the recipient of the British Council Culture Through Connections grant in 2025; she recently visited the Oceania ancestral collections throughout Scotland, finding deep connections in the museums that care for Niue taoga (treasures) while engaging with the Scottish landscape.

In this workshop, participants had the chance to hear more about her work to bridge historic and contemporary practice, and see a demonstration of the hiapo beating process using historic tools. Visitors could take part themselves, as well as create their own hiapo inspired patterns on paper.

Supported by Creative New Zealand, British Council, National Museums Scotland and Hunterian Museum.