Tamariki Size Korowai - Pohutukawa Design Size: 60cm x 60cm. Contemporary Korowai - Kahu huruhuru Kakahu. The colours and design of this Korowai were inspired by the flowers of the Pohutukawa, which symbolises connecting the beginning and end of human life. Māori cloaks are most commonly worn on special occasions, whether a significant hui and coming together of people, or significant graduation, birthday or tangi. The cloaks hold stories of our history or whānau [family] and whakapapa [genealogy]. They’re held in the highest regard and worn with the highest form of respect, prestige, and honor. Our Korowai are handmade in Auckland by machine stitching feathers onto a lined fabric base. The feather wrap around the front edge to complete the look. A traditional handwoven one takes many weeks to complete and costs significantly more. A modern Korowai offers better durability and more colours. Inspiration for the colour and designs from our local fauna and flora. We use beautiful farmed chicken and rooster feathers, some of which have been dyed to create the amazing colour range available in our Korowai selection. Our Korowai have drawstring ties so you can alter the width to fit the wearer. We try to keep a small stock but you should allow a week for production. The taniko trim has also been woven from wool in NZ. This design is the Manaia and Wairua (spirit) design. It shows the Manaia with poutama (stairway to heaven) above and below. The Manaia is sitting in the Wharenui (ancestral meeting house) symbolizing the bringing of iwi, whanau, and cultures together.
Just a small group meet this Saturday but we had managed some interesting work. We had one new lady start which was great and she is flying ahead with her first piece. Then everyone had different things they were working on. Helen's interesting piece with a long taaniko project. Judy working on a twisted rope between mawhitiwhiti patterns. Elaine pretty rope effect in taniko on a lovely duck piece And Lyann deciding what to do next after her marathon taaniko so effective in hand dyed, home spun wool on home spin alpaca whenu. The interesting thing is that we couldn't decide whether to make the taaniko at the top or bottom. Either option would work well. And I am finishing my big jute korowai. All done. It drapes well because of the shaping. Now to find someone who wants to buy it.
I have been thinking about what to do at the top of the commission cloak. Trying out ideas by starting the rows. Firstly just plain. Well sort of plain with the aho cotton (warp) being the same colour as the whenu (weft). The mawhitiwhiti is whale's tail pattern. Then I tried the twist in brown/orange and black with black aho. Now I am wondering if the twist with plain aho might be better. Anybody got any comments? The twist takes a lot of effort but is effective. Is an old technique I have seen on cloaks in museums.
Korowai - Pounamu Size: 1m x 1m. Contemporary Korowai - Kahu huruhuru Kakahu. The colours of this design were inspired by the natural beauty of Pounamu, from the brown outer skin to the flashes of green where it is river polished. Māori cloaks are most commonly worn on special occasions, whether a significant hui and coming together of people, or significant graduation, birthday or tangi. The cloaks hold stories of our history or whānau [family] and whakapapa [genealogy]. They’re held in the highest regard and worn with the highest form of respect, prestige, and honor. Our Korowai are handmade in Auckland by machine stitching feathers onto a lined fabric base. The feather wrap around the front edge to complete the look. A traditional handwoven one takes many weeks to complete and costs significantly more. A modern Korowai offers better durability and more colours. Inspiration for the colour and designs from our local fauna and flora. We use beautiful farmed chicken and rooster feathers, some of which have been dyed to create the amazing colour range available in our Korowai selection. Our Korowai have drawstring ties so you can alter the width to fit the wearer. We try to keep a small stock but you should allow a week for production. The taniko trim has also been woven from wool in NZ. This design is the Manaia and Wairua (spirit) design. It shows the Manaia with poutama (stairway to heaven) above and below. The Manaia is sitting in the Wharenui (ancestral meeting house) symbolizing the bringing of iwi, whanau, and cultures together.
It's been a busy May but at last I've finished Paula's panelled cloak. She was pleased with it and it looked good on her. I've started extending another small cloak for a client and that seems to be going well. I'll be able to undo the top part and put taaniko in for her when I get up to there. I have extended it twice now and I'm sure it will be a good size now. And I've started Bill's pukeko Kakahu. I don't really like using pukeko but this seems to be going ok. One week in to June and nearly 30 cm done. I'm only getting about one feather row per pelt so many thanks to feathergirl.co.nz for selling the Pukeko pelts. Even though he doesn't want a pattern the blue and black feathers are making a nice random spread. And, fourthly, a start has been made on the James Hargest College Kakahu. This is being done by people learning to weave under my supervision. We have had one planning day and two work days so far. I am very pleased by their progress. It is being done in 7 panels so more people can work on it at one time. There will be feather, mawhitiwhiti and taaniko panels. I have designed some taaniko panels for them and we'll see what they like next Tuesday when we have a session during school time. Southland REAP are going to run a beginners class for me in Wyndham in September if any one from there is interested. And we have our usual group meetings at Ocean View on the first Saturday and first and third tuesdays of the month. All welcome.
"Everybody go home, we have a winner"
I have started something new. I got bored the other day so started sorting feathers and found a bag of big peahen feathers that were languishing in the cupboard. Then it was making feather bundles till my fingers were had it. So I thought I'd better start something. By the end of the day I had it underway. The next afternoon I did some more. And yesterday afternoon some more. The feathers are actually quite big so my rows are further apart than usual and the bundles are further apart too along the row. I am listening to a story as I go so I am always keen to get weaving so I can hear more of the story even though I almost know it by heart now as I have read or listened to it so many times over the years. Oh I forgot to write about the day at the museum where the ladies got to see some old cloaks in storage. I didn't go down as I was teaching but the others came back astounded by the craftsmanship of the old weavers and by the fineness of their work. Thanks to the folk at the museum for showing them around. We had a few new ladies come and they are keen to come next year so that was good.
They were also inspired by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's coat of arms.
Korowai Number 2 “For a Wahine”
Master weaver Veranoa Hetet, a descendent of some of Aotearoa's greatest weavers and carvers, sheds some light on common misconceptions around Māori garments.
