Kahu kurī (dog skin cloak)

Kahu kurī (dog skin cloaks) are made of strips of dog skin with hair attached taken from the kurī (Māori dog). These strips which vary in length, are arranged by colour and sewn ontothe kaupapa (foundation) of the cloak with fine bone needles. The foundation of kahu kurī are woven from muka (New Zealand flax fibre) using a technique called pauku or pukupuku. The pukupuku weaving technique uses the whatu aho pātahi (single-pair weft twining) in close succession to form a thick and heavy protective garment. The awe (dog-hair tassels) that fringe the outside length of some kahu kurī, are taken from the underside of the dog's tail and are similar to the circlet of dog-hair tassels that adorn the necks of taiaha. The ruffled kurupatu (dog-hair collars) are entirely separate to the kaupapa of the cloak and are made by threading separate strips together to make a length of collar that is sewn onto the neck of the finished garment.

Weavers of kahu kurī generally aimed to conceal the stitches and the foundation of their cloaks in order to create the appearance of a single fur. They did this by arranging the strips close together, with the hair lying in the same direction. Some created striking designs, as seen on this cloak.


Prestigious garments
Kahu kurī are prestigious garments possessing great mana (prestige) and were highly-prized heirlooms. Each garment possessed its own personal name and its history was carefully preserved right up to the time it passed out of Māori ownership. Sadly, most now remain anonymous in museum collections around the world. The possession of a kahu kurī immediately identified the owner as a rangatira - someone of prestige and position within the hapu (sub-tribe) or iwi (tribe). These garments were often exchanged between people of rank in recognition of important ceremonial occasions and affirmed the mana of both the giver and the recipient.


Types and variations
There are several different varieties of kahu kurī and some tribal variation in the application of the descriptive terms of these types. Some of the types recorded include tōpuni, ihupuni, awarua, kahuwaero, mahiti, and puahi. However, the construction technique remains essentially the same.


Conservation
Only half of this kahu kurī has been conserved so far, providing a rare opportunity to see the impact of treatments. A Te Papa conservator has cleaned the fur with a soft brush and dilute soap, rinsing it with de-ionised water. Conservators weigh up various factors in choosing how to conserve an item. If the dirt is unlikely to harm the item and is central to its story, it is sometimes left in place.

In the case of this cloak, the dirt is harmful, and it masks the garment’s true beauty. The other half of the cloak will be cleaned in the near future.