Tag Archives: Kahu Ora

Kahu Ora – Toi Whakarākai, Te Wānanga o Raukawa weavers

8 September 2012 – 5.56pm

It is an honour for Te Papa to welcome this month’s resident weavers for the Kahu Ora exhibition – tutors and students from the Design and Art course of Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Otaki.

 Under the name of Toi Whakarākai, senior weavers Sonia Snowden, Pip Devonshire and Elaine Bevan later to be joined by others, will occupy the weavers’ studio until the 30th September.  Famous for their beautiful work in kete whakairo, piupiu, poi and kākahu, each of these accomplished weavers bring their own special magic to Kahu Ora.

Elaine and her potae. Image copyright Te Papa.

Elaine is weaving a shaped muka and feather pōtae or cap. She deftly twines in tiny delicate tūī feathers individually with each weft row, starting at the crown and working round, adding warp threads as she goes. It is very exacting work. Elaine’s pōtae is based on two fragile and unique examples that she has studied in the Te Papa collection. We don’t know much about them, but think that they may be aged over a hundred years old. Can’t wait to see how Elaine’s pōtae progresses.

Whaea Sonia talks to an interested visitor. Image copyright Te Papa.

 Whaea Sonia is processing muka, the fine, silky threads extracted from green harakeke leaves for weaving.  Her finely coiled twists of muka in groups are beautiful. Visitors are enthralled watching her demonstrate the haro (extraction) process of the muka with a mussel shell.

Whaea Sonia’s coiled muka. Image copyright Te Papa.

 Pip Devonshire is weaving a muka and kiwi feather tauira (sample), using a pair of driftwood turuturu (weaving pegs) attached to a wooden base, to suspend her work. The method is an adaption of the use of turuturu for weaving kākahu in the past, the only difference is that the turuturu were held upright in the ground.

Pip weaving and talking with a visitor. Image copyright Te Papa.

 Te Papa host Hohepa Potini is doing a great job with his own weaving. Hepa has been busy extracting, rolling and coiling muka fibre into bundles in preparation for a kākahu for his own children and grandchildren one day. So far he has produced over 1400 threads, phenomenal. Hepa’s feathered friend prefers to keep one eye on Hepa rather than sit with his manu-mates on the touch trolley. He’s got his hands (beak) full too.  So goes the whakatauki, or proverb, of Tamaterangi from Ngāti Kahungunu-”He ao te rangi ka uhia, he huruhuru te manu ka tau. ” As clouds bedeck the heavens, so feathers adorn the bird.  Meaning, being appropriately dressed is everything.   

Hepa coiling muka. His mate manu helps out. Image copyright Te Papa.

Come see and talk to the Toi Whakarākai weavers, with Hepa, Lucy and the host team in Kahu Ora, from Wednesday to Sunday, 12-4pm.

By Awhina Tamarapa | Posted in Exhibitions, Māori, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

A sense of touch

6 September 2012 – 3.57pm

Written by Lucy Moore, Exhibition Supervisor

One of the joys of being a Te Papa Host is when that ‘light bulb’ moment happens – when a visitor sees or experiences something profoundly new as a result of being in an exhibition.  We’ve had many of these moments in Kahu Ora in the last 2 months, often centred around the weavers’ studio, Ngā Pā Harakeke o Hine-te-iwaiwa.  In this hub of activity, visitors have the opportunity not only to see and talk to weavers as they do their work, but also to pick up and feel some of the materials and tools involved in the making of these beautiful kākahu.

The sense of touch seems to bring everything together – once a visitor has immersed themselves in the displays and the stories around the gallery, they are often itching to get their hands on something!  Somehow when they get to feel (and smell!) freshly-stripped muka (flax fibre) in the studio, they ‘get’ the hours of work, dexterity and creativity required to transform this magic material into something to keep you warm, safe, or recognised.

Maryjane Winiata (right foreground) showing how the haro technique is done. Image copyright Te Papa.

Many of our weavers have used hands-on samples to illustrate their mahi in their kōrero with visitors.  One of our most commonly heard visitor comments is ‘I had no idea!’ as people handle a hank of whenu strands, or pick up the satisfyingly heavy patu muka, used for beating and softening the harakeke fibre.

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Weavers from Porangahau interacting with visitors. Image copyright Te Papa.

 We also have the touch trolley loaded with examples of muka, weaving samples, feathers, and birds – very popular with the kids (though we often have to explain how come we have a ‘real’ kiwi sitting waiting to be patted!).  And our international visitors in particular seem to love giving weaving a go, using our samples set up for learning the whatu technique.

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Hands on weaving for the first time. Visitor from France with hosts Hohepa Potini and Catriona McPherson. Image copyright Te Papa.

Perhaps the most moving example for me of the power of tactile experience came when a group of young women bounded into the gallery one day at the end of a school trip to Te Papa.  Three of them found their way to the touch trolley and were picking up all the items with enthusiasm.  

When I showed them how to strip a blade of harakeke, and gave them the length of silky smooth muka to feel, they fell silent; the eyes of one student in particular opened wide, and she asked how she could learn the craft.  She took away not only the rolled strand of muka, but also the details of Kohai Grace’s weaving class at Whitireia Polytechnic.  As the group left the studio, I called after her, ‘Good luck on your journey,’ and she stopped, turned around and said that that was her name – Journey!

 We’re looking forward to a further 6 weeks of magic in Kahu Ora, with lots more touching moments.

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 Touch trolley in Ngā Pā Harakeke o Hine-te-iwaiwa. Image copyright Te Papa.

 

By Awhina Tamarapa | Posted in Exhibitions, Māori, Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Kōrero kākahu: Veranoa Hetet and Te Rōpu Miro

31 August 2012 – 4.07pm

Veranoa Hetet and her group of weavers Te Rōpu Miro have been the weavers in residence for the  Kahu Ora Living Cloaks exhibition for the last few weeks. Time goes so fast and it’s hard to believe this will be their last weekend at Te Papa, as they finish on Sunday 2 September.

Veranoa Hetet (right) and Kahu Te Kanawa working on Veranoa's kākahu in the Weavers' Studio. Copyright Te Papa.

Veranoa Hetet (right) and Kahu Te Kanawa working on Veranoa’s kākahu in the Weavers’ Studio. Copyright Te Papa.

Veranoa and her family have had a long association with Te Papa. I first met Veranoa’s Mum, Erenora Puketapu-Hetet in about 1987 when I was fresh to the museum world, and working in the insect department at the old Buckle Street building of the National Museum. I remember Erenora’s warmth and her willingness to share her knowledge of weaving with me, and with anyone who showed an interest. She showed me how to extract muka using a mussel shell – something that continues to amaze me – and we watched as she showed us how to weave tukutuku panels. It felt very special when years later in 2012, I was able to help make available in the Kahu Ora exhibition and on the cloaks website a video of one of the last interviews that Erenora gave, in March 2006, only months before sadly she passed away.

Kahu Ora has been one of the best and most rewarding exhibitions that I’ve had the privilege to work on for Te Papa.  Weaving is about connections and the threads that join people together. Over the last few weeks I’ve had the chance to reconnect with Veranoa. It has been amazing to watch her at work in the Weavers’ Studio, skilfully working on the tāniko border for a kākahu for her eldest son.

Veranoa Hetet weaving the tāniko border of her kākahu. Copyright Te Papa.

Veranoa Hetet weaving the tāniko border of her kākahu. Copyright Te Papa.

We reminisced about Erenora, and talked about the kākahu that Erenora was working on, but didn’t complete, before she passed away. Awhina, Norm and I filmed Veranoa the other day, capturing this wonderful kōrero. Once this is edited it will be added to the Māori Cloaks website.

Last week Veranoa and her group were joined by Kahu Te Kanawa, another expert weaver who was here to give a talk at Te Papa. 

Kahu Te Kanawa and Veranoa Hetet weaving together. Copyright Te Papa.

Kahu Te Kanawa and Veranoa Hetet weaving together. Copyright Te Papa.

Veranoa’s great-grandmother, Rangimarie Hetet, is Kahu’s grandmother – their connections are strong and deep. It was magical to see Kahu and Veranoa sitting down together to work on the tāniko border of Veranoa’s kākahu. They laughed, they talked and they told me ”this is how weavers learn”.  

Another magical moment in Kahu Ora, another connection, another example of knowledge being shared and passed on.

Nau te rourou
Naku te rourou
Ka ora te tangata

With your basket of knowledge
And my basket of knowledge
The people will be assisted

By pamelalovis | Posted in Māori | Also tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Kahu Ora – Te Whare Pora

24 August 2012 – 5.17pm

In the past, this was a dedicated whare, or house, where aspects of the fine arts of Māori weaving were taught. Today, ‘Te Whare Pora’ is more of a state of mind of an expert senior weaver, who carries or embodies the values, skills and knowledge of this discipline, a most complex, sacred and revered art-form.

The spiritual and conceptual aspects to Māori cloak weaving is an important part of understanding the depth of cultural knowledge expressed in this art-form. Whakapapa, or genealogy; the relationship and connectivity of all living things, is at the heart of Māori culture. Whakapapa is a key concept to Māori, explaining the descent from Atua (the spiritual realms) to elements of nature, and humanity-the intrinsic relationship of all living things.

A version of the origin of weaving is closely linked to the primal parents; Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother. They were separated by their son Tane-nui-a-rangi, who forced them apart so that he and his brothers could be free of the confines between their parents embrace.

Tane then searched the heavens, the realm of his father, for a source of light. He found Hine rauāmoa, the smallest, most fragile star in the sky. Their daughter was Hine-te-iwaiwa, the atua of spiritual deity of weaving, childbirth and cycles of the moon.

Hei tiki on display . On loan from Morgan family. Image copyright to Te Papa.

Hei tiki on display . On loan from Morgan family. Image copyright to Te Papa.

Hine-te-iwaiwa was the first recipient of the hei tiki, from her father Tane. Hei tiki are stylised human forms, usually fashioned from pounamu, worn suspended around the neck. They are precious taonga tuku iho. The meaning of the hei tiki varies. The tiki is said to represent Tiki, the first man. It may also represent Hine-te-iwaiwa, as the deity of childbirth. Both representations relate to conception and progeny.

 

Wahine poutokomanawa. Image copyright to Te Papa.

Wahine poutokomanawa. Image copyright to Te Papa.

 

At one side of the entrance to Te Whare Pora stands a female poutokomanawa that represents the essential, vital female element. On the other side is a male poutokomanawa. They represent an ancestral presence that greets the visitor when they enter the exhibition. Both poutokomanawa symbolise the balance between both male and female life producing elements.

Te Whare Pora, as the domain of Hine-te-iwaiwa, connects the physical and spiritual realms of weaving. A special composition for this exhibition, designed by master taonga pūoro player Dr Richard Nunns, and Steve Garden of Rattle Recording, draws together the immersive sounds of weaving in tribute to the weavers of Te Whare Pora. Te Kahureremoa Tiopira Taumata performs the vocals to her composition ‘Te Uri o Hine te iwaiwa’ (the descendants of Hine te iwaiwa).

Come visit Kahu ora and experience the sights and sounds of Māori cloak weaving, an incredible, living artform.

By Awhina Tamarapa | Posted in Exhibitions, Māori | Comments (0)

Kahu Ora weavers – Te Roopu Miro

17 August 2012 – 3.13pm
Joy Anderson enthralling Te Papa hosts

Joy Andersen enthralling Te Papa hosts. Photo copyright of Te Papa.

After being away from work for over two months it was such a joy to see the Kahu Ora exhibition again. Over 48,000 people have visited so far in the two and a half months since its opening.  That’s really amazing. One of the aims of this exhibition was to bring the cloaks out from their storeroom drawers “into the light of day”, so that people are able to see some of the rare and significant Māori cloaks of Te Papa, and learn more about this important, living art-form. It’s great to see so many people are enjoying this experience and is a testament to all the contributors and staff who made the exhibition happen.

Weavers studio graphic showing Veranoa Hetet with Huhana Smith and Rachel Collinge

Weavers studio graphic showing Veranoa Hetet with Huhana Smith and Rachel Collinge. Photo copyright of Te Papa.

 Within Kahu Ora is a space specially dedicated for weavers to show the public exactly how much skill, dedication and knowledge is required for cloak weaving. There is no denying that actually seeing and talking to weavers in action is the best way to understand the intricacies of this highly specialised practice. There have been many ‘magic’ moments between visitors and weavers to date. Last week a gentleman came in to show the weavers a beautiful cloak that he had woven. He was from Levin and aged 80 years old.  Remarkable! Thank you Lizzie, Te Papa Host, for taking the photo.

Kaumatua weaver

Kaumatua weaver. Photo copyright of Te Papa.

‘Te Roopu Miro’, expert weaver Veranoa Hetet and her students Joy Andersen, Robin Bargh and Susan Luke, are the current resident weavers in the Kahu Ora weaver’s studio.  At least two weavers at a time will be demonstrating cloak weaving from Wednesday to Sunday 12pm-4pm, until the 2nd September. Veranoa, of Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tuwharetoa and Ngāti Maniapoto descent, teaches from her papakainga community base at Waiwhetu, Lower Hutt. Veranoa comes from generations of illustrious artists; her parents being the late Erenora Puketapu-Hetet, a master weaver and Rangi Hetet, a master carver. Veranoa’s great grand mother was Dame Rangimarie Hetet, Rangi’s grandmother and a beloved, highly acclaimed master weaver.

'Tuhono' woven by Veranoa Hetet, 2012

‘Tuhono’ woven by Veranoa Hetet, 2012. Back view. Photo copyright of Te Papa.

Veranoa has three beautiful cloaks on display in the weaver’s studio, two that she wove especially to be displayed in the Kahu Ora exhibition.  ‘Tuhono’ is a contemporary work of black dyed muka fibre plaited in the whiri technique, incorporating panels of paua shell. Veranoa explained that the cloak is an expression of the joining of the sea (as in the paua shell) and land (as in the muka) elements that represent her and her sea loving carver husband Sam Hauwaho. 

'Tuakana' woven by Veranoa Hetet, 2012. Back view, showing intricate houheria pattern

‘Tuakana’ woven by Veranoa Hetet, 2012. Back view, showing intricate houheria pattern. Photo copyright of Te Papa.

‘Tuakana’ is a stunning, white muka cloak that has very fine houheria or lace bark strands, interwoven in an intricate design on the back of the cloak.  Veranoa named this cloak ‘Tuakana’, meaning senior, to pay homage to the ancient weaving connections that Māori have to the Pacific peoples. The cloak is expertly shaped like the ‘ahu ‘ula, or Hawaiian feather cloaks. Veranoa has used houheria to reference its use through other parts of the Pacific.

Joy Anderson showing muka strands to visitors

Joy Andersen showing muka strands to visitors. Photo copyright of Te Papa.

Joy Andersen comes from Foxton and is also affiliated to Ngāti Kapumanawawhiti, Otaki, through her mother.  She currently lives in Island Bay, Wellington. Joy was first inspired by Erenora, Veranoa’s mother, in 2006, after watching Erenora and a group of other weavers on the marae at Te Papa. She remembers admiring Erenora as she wove. Weaving was always something that Joy’s mother wanted them to learn together. Unfortunately that did not come to pass, but by chance a few years later, Joy read about Veranoa’s classes. She joined, and from that point, says, “I got hooked.”  

Joy says she enjoys working with harakeke (NZ flax, Phormium tenax) generally. She likes to weave big kete or baskets called wahakura. Joy made one at the same time as a hieke, or type of raincape, for her brother Basil. It was named ‘Kahurangi’, after the different hues of blue that Joy dyed the harakeke.  Joy has on display a piupiu woven for her daughter Ellen in 2009. It is a beautiful example.

Joy is weaving her first korowai. The foundation is muka, with dyed black hukahuka and pūkeko feathers incorporated on the sides. This cloak will be for Joy’s whānau (family). What a precious taonga to have .

Weaving with Veranoa today was Susan Luke. Like Joy, she’s working on her first korowai, which has a muka foundation incorporating feathers and hukahuka. It is absolutely stunning.  Do come in to meet them, admire their work and view the exhibition. Thank you to all the previous resident weavers  too. You all have given so much more to the exhibition experience, just by your presence.

Awhina Tamarapa

By Awhina Tamarapa | Posted in Exhibitions, Māori, Uncategorized | Also tagged , , | Comments (1)

Feathers of knowledge

8 August 2012 – 4.09pm

 

Ma te huruhuru te manu ka rere, with feathers a bird may fly.
And by the sheer number of feathers that the education team received in the last few months, this bird could fly as far as Matariki!Image

 

This amazing paper feather kākahu (cloak) has been created by thousands of students from schools across Aotearoa. The kākahu will be displayed in the Discovery Centre Te Huka a Tai on Level 4 for the next few weeks. Come along and admire the work and share in the collective knowledge.

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The education team have been inundated with feathers from students who have been learning about Matariki. With support from Te Taura Whiri Māori Language Commission, the Te Papa Educators produced a new teacher resource to help teachers teach their students about Matariki. The lessons in the resource include an activity for students to record their new learning about Matariki onto a paper feather. Upon these feathers children drew pictures, and wrote words of wisdom that they would like to share with others about Matariki, including:

“Matariki means little eyes” and “There are over 500 stars in the Matariki cluster”.

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So armed with staplers, hot glue guns and even a sewing machine the Te Papa Educators sewed, glued and burnt their fingers creating the kākahu. With over 2,000 feathers they ended up with a kākahu that is 5 metres long and 1 metre wide and weighing up to 5kg!

The end result of this activity is not only a beautiful collaborative artwork, but it is also a great exercise in sharing matauranga (knowledge). It also demonstrates the many and varied communities that we reach out to through our education service.

Nō reira ka mihi ki ngā kura, ki ngā akonga, ki ngā kaiako nā rātou i tuku mai i ēnei tāonga atāhua, me te tuku mai hoki i ō rātou ake mātauranga hei koha ki te katoa.

Thank you to the schools, students and teachers for contributing in the creation of this beautiful kākahu, and for sharing their knowledge with us all.

Written by Te Papa Educator Ati Teepa
View the new Matariki Teacher Resource
Find out more about the Te Papa Education programmes

By gabby lawton | Posted in Education, Exhibitions, Kids | Also tagged | Comments (0)

Tai Tamariki children’s kākahu – learning continues

2 August 2012 – 6.32pm

by Becs Thomas, Assistant Head Teacher, Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

The experience of having Tai Tamariki Kindergarten children’s kākahu displayed in Kahu Ora Living Cloaks has been a wonderful learning journey for our kindergarten community, both culturally and in the learning of exhibition protocol and process. This week the second of our children’s kakahu was put on display.

Apolline and Urszula ready to transport the kākahu. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

Apolline and Urszula ready to transport the kākahu. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

The children regularly visit Te Papa in small groups and these visits have been the basis for research that focuses on how children make meanings, view themselves as learners and share understandings in museum environments.

Over time our tamariki have gained rich understandings of Te Papa and the culture and tikanga of ours and other museums. They have also used objects such as the kākahu in Kahu Ora, drawings, child/ teacher made booklets and reference books to help make connections between these different settings.

Kahu Ora has enabled children to extend on their knowledge of kākahu from previous experiences and explore and research the new. It has also given them the opportunity to interact with weavers, Te Papa staff and visitors who have passed on their valuable knowledge, skills and stories of Te Ao Māori. These experiences together have fostered learning and inspired the ongoing projects of creating kākahu back at kindergarten.

Apolline Michaud-Fidey’s cloak is the second Tai Tamariki kākahu to be displayed in Kahu Ora. Like Maia Waldegrave’s dog skin cloak before her, Apolline has designed and created her kākahu from start to finish.

Apolline's plan for her kākahu: "I got my ideas from looking at lost of different types of korowai like flax, feathers, letters and shapes". Courtesy of Tai Tamaraki Kindergarten

Apolline’s plan for her kākahu: “I got my ideas from looking at lost of different types of korowai like flax, feathers, letters and shapes”. Courtesy of Tai Tamaraki Kindergarten

The children have taken responsibility for their own learning throughout the creation of these kākahu and the teachers at Tai Tamariki and staff at Te Papa placed great value in their involvement in every step of the process of exhibiting in Kahu Ora.

Apolline transfers her plan on to her cloak. She studied images of three very different kākaku exhibited in Kahu Ora, and these provided inspiration for her cloak's finished design. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

Apolline transfers her plan on to her cloak. She studied images of three very different kākaku exhibited in Kahu Ora, and these provided inspiration for her cloak’s finished design. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

On Tuesday this week it was time for Apolline to exhibit her korowai. Pamela Lovis from Te Papa talked to Apolline and her friend Urszula about what was going to happen and the kakahu was then carefully placed in a box and transported by the designer and her support crew up to the exhibition space.

Urszula and Apolline carefully transport the kākahu from Tai Tamariki Kindergarten on the ground floor up to Kahu Ora. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

Urszula and Apolline carefully transport the kākahu from Tai Tamariki Kindergarten on the ground floor up to Kahu Ora. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

Maia’s Dog Skin cloak was gently removed and Pamela and Apolline worked together to display the new kākahu. Apolline gave direction as to how she thought it should look, helped to tie the ribbon and instructed the collar placement.

Pamela and Apolline discuss and display the kākahu, as Urszula looks on in interest. Courtesy of Tai Tamaraki Kindergarten

Pamela and Apolline discuss and display the kākahu, as Urszula looks on in interest. Courtesy of Tai Tamaraki Kindergarten

It became clear through this process that the kākahu was to be treated as a taonga.

Apolline's beautiful kākahu and label on display in the Weavers' Studio of the Kahu Ora exhibition. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

Apolline’s beautiful kākahu and label on display in the Weavers’ Studio of the Kahu Ora exhibition. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

It is hands on experiences such as this and the recent blessing of the kākahu that show our children how artefacts are treated and exhibited in Te Papa.

Apolline and Urszula with the kākahu on display in the Weavers' Studio of the Kahu Ora exhibition. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

Apolline and Urszula with the kākahu on display in the Weavers’ Studio of the Kahu Ora exhibition. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

Apolline and Urszula returned to Tai Tamariki to share their busy morning with their friends. I am really looking forward to documenting future visits and how our children can teach others about the knowledge they have formed.

Our kaiako, whanau and most importantly our tamariki feel such a sense of pride in seeing the Tai Tamariki kākahu exhibited in Kahu Ora. I feel that through each step of this exhibition process our young children have been shown first hand how their learning and contributions are valued in this museum environment.

By pamelalovis | Posted in Education, Exhibitions, Māori | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments (2)

Tai Tamariki Kindergarten childrens’ kakahu on display

26 July 2012 – 5.19pm

Tai Tamariki Kindergarten opened in Te Papa in early February 2010. It’s a unique and wonderful thing for a kindergarten to be located within a museum like Te Papa. The children and staff at Tai Tamariki are frequent visitors to the museum exhibitions, making use of all the learning opportunities and inspiration the museum provides. Kahu Ora Living Cloaks has been popular with the children. After visiting the exhibition they designed and made their own kakahu.

Over the next two weeks we are displaying three of these wonderful kakahu in the Weavers’ Studio space. The first kakahu made by Maia Waldegrave, aged 4 is now on display. She was inspired by the dog skin cloak in the exhibition (complete with the ears and tails of several dogs).

Maia Waldegrave aged 4 from Tai Tamariki with her korowai. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten.

Maia Waldegrave aged 4 from Tai Tamariki with her korowai. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten.

It’s a real joy that this is happening – it was a highlight of my week!  To mark this special occasion we organised an opening blessing, lead by our Tainui resident kaumatua and kuia, Taki and Ratau Turner.

Tainui kaumatua Taki Turner and the Tai Tamariki children at the opening blessing. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten.

Tainui kaumatua Taki Turner and the Tai Tamariki children at the opening blessing. Courtesy of Tai Tamariki Kindergarten.

Tai Tamariki Kindergarten children and staff at the opening blessing for their kakahu. Courtesy Tai Tamariki Kindergarten.

Tai Tamariki Kindergarten children and staff at the opening blessing for their kakahu. Courtesy Tai Tamariki Kindergarten.

We talk a lot about museums as learning environments – places where we can change peoples hearts, minds and lives. I think the Tai Tamariki children’s kakahu are delightful examples of this in action.

More info about Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

By pamelalovis | Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments (2)

Kōrero Kākahu: Building Kōrero

13 July 2012 – 4.57pm

By Matariki Williams

As many of you will probably know, it is school holidays time and Te Papa is buzzing with the energy of its many extra little visitors. Kahu Ora is no exception and when I went in to talk to the new weavers in residence, I was very happy to see the exhibition filled with people. As earlier mentioned, the group joining us this week is Raranga Kākahu, Raranga Tāngata, Raranga Whakapapa and yesterday we had Matthew McIntyre-Wilson and Mark Sykes weaving in the studio. When I walked in, they were both surrounded by inquisitive visitors of all ages and happily explaining what it is that they were working on.

Matthew McIntyre-Wilson. Photograph by Matariki Williams. Te Papa.

Matthew McIntyre-Wilson. Photograph by Matariki Williams. Te Papa.

For Matthew this will be a hīeke, like his earlier pākē, but with more some similarities to a kahu toi. He explained the similarities being that the ends will be plaited to make it more robust against wear. Also, like kahu toi, all materials are used. The copper from inside the cables is stripped out to form the tags and the plastic outer forms the foundation of the cloak. The copper is then rolled to make it flatter and give it more of a tag-like shape. This experimental approach, whereby he learnt by doing, is a recurring theme of Matthew’s work and I like how the art form is evolving in his hands. Like his pākē, this hieke is made from electrical cables. These were donated to him by General Cables in Christchurch after he approached them about this project. They were generous enough to give him 100 metres of cable in three different colours, red, black and white, and he has invited them up to see them worked into a new life.

Matthew McIntyre-Wilson and a Te Papa host. Photograph by Pamela Lovis. Te Papa.

Matthew McIntyre-Wilson and a Te Papa host. Photograph by Pamela Lovis. Te Papa.

No material is wasted as Matthew uses the offcuts to create necklaces, one of which is also on show in the weavers’ studio. This process is an interesting comparison to Mark’s weaving with more traditional natural fibres. Mark is also making a pākē but is using neinei and pingao which will be layered as piu or tags.

Mark Sykes preparing the muka. Photograph by Matariki Williams. Te Papa.

Mark Sykes preparing the muka. Photograph by Matariki Williams. Te Papa.

When I entered the weavers’ studio, Mark was explaining to a very engaged young lady about how to prepare the flax for weaving. Her mother and sister then stood to the side having a go with some flax he gave them. This kept them busy for some time until she came back and asked him if she could keep it. It was so sweet seeing this exchange and the pride of the young lady in what she had made. Being in the weavers studio I could hear multiple conversations regarding what the weavers were doing; a mother to a daughter “This is the muka” and another lady at Mark’s table explaining to other visitors about the materials being used.

Mark and some interested visitors. Photography by Pamela Lovis. Te Papa.

Mark and some interested visitors. Photography by Pamela Lovis. Te Papa.

There is a touch table in the studio that has native birds feathers, a patu muka that is used to beat harakeke, a mussel shell that is used to strip harakeke and various other weaving materials. As I was standing there, multiple people came up to touch the kiwi feathers with awed whispers of “this is kiwi”. Then two very excited kids spotted someone who must have been their favourite host: Hohepa Potini. They implored him to show them how to strip the flax again and he willingly obliged. It is a veritable melting pot of knowledge in the weavers’ studio with the weavers, visitors and hosts all bouncing off one another and being passed to a new generation. This human interface is part of what makes Kahu Ora such a beautiful exhibition to experience and seeing how positively all of the visitors feel about it is indisputable proof. So once again, a big mihi to the weavers who were in the studio and those who are to come.

Today, and for the rest of the weekend, the full roopu will be in so come in and meet Sorrel Kemp and Hiri Crawford.

From next week, a lecture series will be starting in accordance with Kahu Ora called Tuitui Kōrero. Next Thursday, Karl Leonard and Morehu Flutey-Henare will talk about how weaving is transferred from artist to artist. It will be at the Marae on Level 4 from 12:30 to 1:30 and entry is free, so come and have a listen.

By Te Papa | Posted in Events, Exhibitions, Māori | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

Kōrero Kākahu: Weaving Worldviews

10 July 2012 – 11.59am
by Matariki Williams

A highlight for me in Kahu Ora is a kākahu that is in the process of being cleaned by Textile Conservator Anne Peranteau. This kahu kurī is from between 1750 and 1840, of unknown provenance, and is made from strips of the pelt of a kurī (Polynesian dog) sewn onto a finely twined foundation of muka (flax fibre).

Kahu kurī of highest prestige were made from whole pelts of kurī sewn together. One of the only known examples, on loan from Puke Ariki, is currently on display in Kahu Ora. Given the value placed on the kurī, other kākahu were made using the pelts in a more economic way, like this cloak sewn from strips of dogskin.

Kahu kurï (dog skin cloak), 1750-1840, New Zealand. Maker unknown. Bequest of Kenneth Athol Webster, 1971. Te Papa

This kākahu is currently on display in a partially cleaned state effectively displaying the difference in what lies beneath the build-up of years. This is notable as it is unusual practice for Te Papa to showcase this process and this photo does not really do it justice. By viewing the kākahu in person you get to see the real difference in the immense amount of work that has been carried out and the unquantifiable value of this work is evident.

The work of Te Papa conservator Rangi Te Kanawa and her whānau background is a very interesting merging of tikanga Māori with the conservation ideals of the Western world. Rangituatahi Te Kanawa comes from a line of esteemed weavers including mother, the late Diggeress Te Kanawa, and grandmother, the late Rangimarie Hetet.

Her inherent knowledge adds to her expertise and understanding of the intricacies of kākahu. Given her upbringing and connection to two expert weavers, it comes as no surprise that Rangi Te Kanawa is also a weaver, a fact that only adds to her connection with the taonga: “I have a huge appreciation of the craftsmanship in this work. Because of my background, I know exactly what a whatu (twining) stitch is. I know how many whatu stitches are in each weft (horizontal) row.” The following video shows Rangi talking more about her background and gives some information about the conservation work she does with her particular interest in the degradation of natural fibres due to being dyed in iron-rich mud.

What these two stories display for me is the merging of two worldviews and the kinds of breakthroughs in understandings that this partnership affords descendants and practitioners alike. This is especially significant when there has been such a huge loss of customary knowledge. Through the hands-on work of weavers and the investigations into the chemical elements of the dyes and fibres of kākahu, we are able to regain some of what has been lost and continue this documentation of knowledge for future generations; something that Whatu Kākahu builds on.

Donna Head, Kohai Grace and Clare Butler. Photograph by Pamela Lovis. Te Papa

Donna Head, Kohai Grace and Clare Butler. Photograph by Pamela Lovis. Te Papa

Last weekend saw the final Weavers’ Studio to feature Ngā Tapuwae o Hine-te-iwaiwa after their month-long residence. It’s been a pleasure walking through Kahu Ora and seeing visitors interact with them and watching weaving in action. Ngā mihi mahana ki a koutou.

Kohai Grace. Photograph by Pamela Lovis. Te Papa

Kohai Grace. Photograph by Pamela Lovis. Te Papa

This week another group will be in the Weavers’ Studio, Raranga Kākahu, Raranga Tāngata, Raranga Whakapapa. This group includes Mark Sykes, who is also a Te Papa Collection Manager Māori, Matthew McIntyre-Wilson who made the pākē featured in an earlier post, also Sorrel Kemp and Hiri Crawford. Come in and meet them from Wednesday.

By Te Papa | Posted in Conservation, Exhibitions, Māori | Also tagged , , , , , | Comments (1)
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