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Maori Weaving
By 1800, ‘harakeke’ (New Zealand flax) was the main type of plant fibre used to make clothing. Traditionally, Maori weavers do not use looms. They twine threads together using their fingers and suspend the piece of weaving from pegs placed in the ground. Some of the most valuable items woven from ‘harakeke’ are dress cloaks called ‘kakahu’. These are heirlooms ‘taonga’, and some have personal names. Cloaks still have ceremonial importance at weddings and funerals. A ‘kaitaka’ is a type of plain cloak with a twined, decorative border taniko. This one is very finely woven and quite old; it was probably made in the 1770s. ‘Kaitaka’ remained fashionable until about 1825. Follow this link to find out more about the development of weaving in New Zealand In this section
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