Weaving putiputi - harakeke (NZ flax) flowers
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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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