Kaitaka paepaeroa (cloak with taaniko borders and vertical aho, weft rows)

This kaitaka paepaeroa (fine flax cloak decorated on three borders) is made from a variety of harakeke (flax) that gives its kaupapa (main body) an attractive whitish sheen. The ua (upper border) has been oversewn with red woollen yarn, and woollen yarn has also been worked into the tāniko (fine embroidery or weaving in a geometric pattern) borders.

Kaitaka
Kaitaka (fine flax cloaks) are among the more prestigious forms of traditional Māori dress. They are made from muka (flax fibre), which is in turn made from those varieties of harakeke that yield the finest quality fibre characterised by a silk-like texture and rich golden sheen. Kaitaka are usually adorned with broad tāniko borders at the remu (bottom) and narrow tāniko bands along the kauko (sides). The ua is plain and undecorated, and the kaupapa (main body) is usually unadorned.

Sub-categories
There are several sub-categories of kaitaka: parawai, where the aho (wefts) run horizontally; kaitaka paepaeroa, where the aho run vertically; kaitaka aronui or pātea, where the aho run horizontally with tāniko bands on the sides and bottom borders; huaki, where the aho run horizontally with tāniko bands on the sides and two broad tāniko bands, one above the other, on the lower border; and huaki paepaeroa, which has vertical aho with double tāniko bands on the lower border.