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muka (fibre)

Category | Overview and related information

Category details

Categorymuka (fibre)
Alternative termsPrepared New Zealand flax (fibre), prepared harakeke (fibre), prepared NZ flax (fibre)
SourceArt & Architecture Thesaurus

Overview

Fibre product used by Māori in weaving. It is prepared by scrapping, pounding and washing New Zealand flax, which are plants of the Phormium genus, not true flax. Muka is a key material in Māori traditional textiles where it is usually used in tāniko or twined weaving.