Hu'upeni (brush for decorating bark cloth)

This small hu'upeni (brush) is a cherished tool made by artist Sarah Vaki to decorate and paint designs on barkcloth. The bristles hold a special significance - they are crafted from the hair of Sarah's granddaughter, Vaihina'ura, collected when she was a toddler. In 2023, Vaihina'ura was 24 years old.

The brush was gifted to Te Papa as part of the ‘Ahu: Ngā wairua o Hina project.

“We don’t use commercially available brushes. For our brushes, we make them from the ni’au. We need the mid-rib of the ni’au, as well as sewing thread, and the hair of my little ones, of my grandchildren. Because children's hair is soft, it's good, this is the hair we use. We attach the hair to the ni'au with the sewing thread. We use the finest to the largest [to paint]. And the tapa that you saw earlier, everything is done with these brushes. Not with other brushes.”

Sarah Vaki, 2023 (Exert from an interview translated by Dr Pauline Reynolds.)