Burmese Kalaga
Tapestries
Gallery 2 - Asian Arts and Artifacts
What am I looking at?
These are Burmese embroidered picture hangings commonly known as kalaga. Instead of weaving an image into a flat surface, their makers built it in layers. Figures were cut from cloth, padded, sewn to a background, embroidered, and covered with metallic thread, sequins, beads, and reflective ornaments.
Look closely
Move slightly from side to side. The picture changes as individual threads, sequins, and glass pieces catch the light. Notice the pale faces with carefully drawn features, the patterned costumes, and the way padding gives bodies, animals, and architectural elements real depth.
Can you find:
• An elephant carrying riders?
• A horse-drawn chariot?
• Figures floating or flying above the ground?
• Repeated animals or celestial beings in the borders?
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Detail from a Kalaga textile
Kalaga transformed stories familiar from religion, literature, and theatrical performance into dazzling public spectacles. Some depict Buddhist Jātakas—accounts of the Buddha’s previous lives—while others draw upon courtly legend or Myanmar’s version of the Ramayana. Without original labels, the precise episodes in Waikoloa’s examples remain an intriguing subject for further research.
Want to go deeper? Museum Walkway tablets reveal how these dimensional pictures were made and help you investigate the characters and stories hidden in the collection.
