Mapping Pacific Barkcloth through AI

“Mapping Pacific Barkcloth through AI” uses open-source AI to analyze dispersed global collections of Pacific barkcloth (tapa). By training visual pattern recognition models on digitized images, the project identifies stylistic and cultural connections for materials often lacking provenance due to colonial extraction. The work creates a unified database and tool to support digital repatriation and revitalize “lost” design traditions. Through collaboration with curators, Indigenous experts technical specialists, the project restores cultural linkages and advances ethical community-centered AI practices. This scalable platform provides a foundation for future transnational research and heritage-focused AI best practices.