Myron Pledger, age 13, of Sarasota, Fla., for his question:

What is tapa cloth?

The Marquesas Islands are far out in the middle of the lonely South Pacific Ocean, too small to be called islands and almost too small to be marked on our maps. Thousands of Miles to the west are New Guinea and Australia. The western shore of the Americas is thousands of watery Miles to the east. The little isles just south of the equator enjoy a balmy, Sea breeze climate.

One of the native plants of the Marquesas Islands is a spreading tree related to the mulberry. Its local name is the tapa tree, and its bark is used to make a crisp, wood like cloth. The fabric is dyed and printed with handsome designs that are reminiscent of old tapestry work. But tapa cloth did not get its name from tapestry, but from the tree which produces the bark to make it.