Te Manu Huna a Tane

This special photo book documents a wananga or class for three generations of women from Ngati Torehina ki Mataka to learn the customary practice of pelting North Island brown kiwi, so their feathers can be used for weaving. This passing on of customary knowledge developed out of a partnership between conservationists and weavers that returned accidentally killed kiwi to the hapu or family of the rohe or district in which they were found. Weaving was in serious decline in New Zealand until the 1950s, when a concerted effort was made by Maori women to preserve and maintain it and to highlight the need to protect vital natural resources. Formal training is now available through universities and polytechnics, but traditionally weaving has been taught within hapu, usually by a mother, aunt, or grandmother, honouring protocols and restrictions to maintain the integrity of the discipline.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0995123063
• ISBN13: 9780995123069
• Release Date: August 2020
• Publisher: Massey University
• Length: 88 Pages