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Description

Learn the Māori tikanga (customs) involved in harvesting and using harakeke, and have a go at weaving putiputi (flowers).

Resources

A harakeke bush
Knives or secateurs or scissors
A mat or ground sheet (to make it easier to collect up off-cuts and return them to the bush)

Instructions

Consider inviting an expert to teach the girls.

1. Go over the background information, tikanga, harvesting and a karakia from https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/harakeke/
2. Fill in the activity sheet about the tikanga around harakeke
2. Weaving instructions from https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/making-a-putiputi/ (unfortunately I no longer know the source of the other two flower patterns.)

Further resources here: http://www.alibrown.co.nz/instructions.html,

Karakia for cutting flax:

Tenei matou i inoi atu ka koe e Tane Mahuta;
Nau enei rawa kua poipoia;
Nau enei hua kua whakatipu;
Tenei au he piapono whare tohungatanga raranga;
Homai ngā rau o tenei taonga te harakeke.

(We are praying to you Tane Mahuta;
For these things that you have nurtured;
And for these fruits you have grown;
We are dedicated students;
From the place of the old weavers;
Give me some leaves of this treasure the harakeke.)

Glossary
Harakeke — flax
Tikanga — customs, protocols
Karakia — prayer
Whakatauki — proverb
Putiputi — woven flower

From http://www.dowse.org.nz/media/uploads/2017_02/Dowse_Teaching_Notes_Tikanga_of_Harakeke.pdf

Tags

• craft
• flax
• flowers
• harakeke
• karakia
• Māori
• māoritanga
• putiputi
• tikanga
• weave
• weaving

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