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Overview
Korowai kārure are identical to korowai ngore (cloaks with pompom adornment) except that the hukahuka (tassels) appear to be unravelling. Hukahuka rolled in this manner are known as kārure and korowai kārure take their name from this distinctive decoration.
Details and origin
This korowai kārure has evenly spaced hukahuka over the body of the garment with a concentrated amount of hukahuka at one edge to indicate the top. It appears to be cut from an older cloak and is bordered in wool and dyed tags. It originates from Pipiriki in the Whanganui region.
Pre-European colour
Before the arrival of European settlers and modern materials such as wool, colours were sourced from indigenous materials. Paru (mud high in iron salts) provided black, raurēkau (shrub: Brachyglottis repanda) bark made yellow, and tānekaha (celery pine: Phyllocladus trichomanoides) bark made tan. The colour was set by rolling the dyed muka (flax fibre) in alum (potash).
Weaving
Cloak weaving was always done from left to right with the work suspended between two upright turuturu (weaving sticks) stuck into the ground. For large cloaks, two pairs were necessary to keep the operative edge at the correct height.