Para kiekie (kiekie rain cape)

This garment shows how Maori used various plants to create pake (rain capes). The University of Otago recently identified its main fibres as probably being from the climbing plant kiekie (Freycinetia banksii). This plant gives the cape its name – para kiekie, or rain cape made from kiekie.

Extracting the fibre

Maori extracted the fibre from kiekie leaves by retting – a process used worldwide to break down the substances holding plant fibres together.

Little is known about Maori retting, but many iwi (tribes) would have soaked kiekie in cold water for several days. Some may also have developed steaming techniques. Weavers then rubbed the kiekie fibres by hand – a process called ngakungaku – to remove remaining unwanted matter.

This text is based on an excerpt from chapter 6 of Whatu Kakahu|Maori Cloaks, edited by Awhina Tamarapa, © Te Papa Press 2011.