Kato tia hulu (basket)

This kato tia hulu (basket) was made by Niuean weaver Edith Etuata in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1997. It is made of bright orange and green raffia which has been embroidered with a needle in alternate triangular motifs and woven into a white raffia and synthetic frame. The base is wooden and the top halves of the handles are decorated with alternate white, orange, and green raffia.

Adapt and innovate
People take their cultures with them wherever they travel. In New Zealand, skilled practitioners from various Pacific communities continue to pass on customary arts such as weaving and basket-making. Pacific weavers in New Zealand apply their knowledge to working with local materials, such as flax, raffia, and synthetic tubing. The weavers' ability to adapt and innovate is evident in their use of new materials, creation of new forms, and the new uses they find for the items they create.

Weaving groups
Pacific weavers in New Zealand often work in groups. These groups are like fibres, connecting different generations back to their island homelands. They provide a setting where people can share knowledge and interact in their own language. Weaving can be also a way to earn money, but, perhaps more importantly, it can build a sense of cultural connection and pride, especially for Pacific people born in New Zealand.