Maraka! Maraka! Otautahi rises from the ruins - te karaka

presence when they’ve articulated that and
it still holds true if you are a weaver; but of
course, not everyone is a weaver and things
do come to the end of their lives. Now though,
we can give a garment another hundred years
of life, so that it can bring pleasure to future
generations,” she says.
The preservation and conservation though
is about more than just pleasure. As Ranui
points out, for some, those early garments are
the only clue to the thinking and work practices
“of the hands of those times.”
“Aotearoa Moananui-ā-Kiwa was a very
forward-thinking group for its time. It understood
the need for taonga conservation and
the need to test and record and to look for
what might help weavers of the future. That
includes research into the plants we use, like
harakeke, which has been shown to have
different fibre content depending on where in
New Zealand it is grown.”
Ranui who is based in Christchurch also restores korowai.
“Restoration is different to conservation, but of course the two
are interconnected. If a whānau wants to continue wearing a garment
that is basically sound, I can repair and restore it. Aunty Tiny Wright’s
(Ngāi Tahu) kahu kiwi is a good example. Te Papa provided the feathers
for a small amount of repair and restoration to the 120 year-old
garment, and now, if her whānau take good care of it, they’ll still be
wearing it 120 years from now.
“The future of our taonga lies with people like Rangi. It’s wonder-
CaRing FOR
mĀORi TeXTiLes
iwi and whānau are in possession of many
forms of taonga in their wharenui and in
homes around the country. these include
woven treasures like kete (baskets),
piupiu, whāriki (mats) and kākahu (cloaks),
which are made from plant material and
often include feathers, wool and hair.
the following steps are essential for caring
for such items.
• identify the taonga and the materials
they are made of and assess the
condition of these materials. handle
them accordingly. You may need expert
help in this, especially if they are fragile,
which is where the team at te Papa’s
National Services te Paerangi can
be invaluable. Anyone wanting their
assistance should contact gavin Reedy
on 0508 678 743 or email
gavinr@tepapa.govt.nz.
• Maintain good conservation practice
when handling, storing or displaying
taonga, preferably by wearing latex
gloves and creating acid-free cardboard
boxes for the storage of rolled items.
54 te KaraKa MaKarIrI 2011
“ Aotearoa
Moananui-ā-
Kiwa was a very
forward-thinking
group for its time.
It understood the
need for taonga
conservation and
the need to test
and record and to
look for what might
help weavers of the
future.”
RANui NgARiMu
Ngāi tahu,
Ngāti Mutunga,
weaving expert
• Always roll garments and mats; never
fold them.
• Keep taonga out of bright light. Sunlight
is very damaging and causes colours
to fade and fibres to become dry and
brittle.
• heat also dries out textiles; while too
much moisture in the air can lead
to mould and mildew. dust, moths,
silverfish and mites are also a problem
when textiles are not stored correctly.
ful to have her doing what she’s doing – inspiring others to investigate
what they have and how to look after precious heirlooms. My question
now is: ‘What are we doing about training more people like her?’
“I’d like to see Ngāi Tahu think about training someone in this area
for tribal purposes. Aotearoa Moananui-ā-Kiwi could see the benefits
of putting their weight behind Rangi’s conservation training and
I believe Ngāi Tahu as an iwi have to actively seek some young people
who may be interested in this sort of training while we’ve got the best
people for them to train under. The conservation of our taonga is very
important. I can’t stress that enough.”
• black dye alert: the black-dyed fibres
in Māori textiles are the most fragile of
all. the dye is a combination of tannin
(from hīnau or mānuka bark) and paru
(mud rich in iron compounds). its acidic
nature can cause damage over time, and
textiles containing black dye require
special treatment. they are especially
vulnerable to light, heat and moisture.
toi iho
AWAtuNA
Tuna
river native 20 million years
Tuna
From Muriwai o Whata
Tuna
he taniwha befriended
by hine te Ngaere, hine tū repo
smoked
Endangered
Waters
Polluted
do we care?
te KaraKa MaKarIrI 2011 55