Wall hanging "Kōkiri"

Kōkiri was woven by the late master weaver Erenora Puketapu-Hetet in the early 1980s, and was acquired by Te Papa Tongarewa in 1989. A contenporary wall-hanging that employs the processes and materials of Māori cloak weaving, Kōkiri is representative of Erenora's constant exploration of new ideas, materials, and techniques. Although she was an advocate for the preservation and passing on of ancestral values and traditions, Erenora also believed in the importance of keeping the art form moving, to push the boundaries of her own creative process.

Kōkiri, meaning to advance or move forward, was the name of an urban-based programme, spearheaded by the Ministry of Māori Affairs (now the Ministry of Māori Development), Te Puni Kōkiri, in the 1980s. Te kawau mārō is a term used in Māori warfare that refers to the V-shaped advance of warriors in close formation. Kataraina Hetet, Erenora's daughter, spoke about the wedge form represented in the bands of different feathers, symbolising the various fronts that Māori need to address to become strongeer, such as in weaving, arts, and welfare.


Construction
The kaupapa (foundation) is muka (New Zealand flax fibre) twined in whatu aho rua (two-pair weft twining) technique. The whenu (warp threads) are placed in māwhitiwhiti cross-over pattern every five whenu accross, between each row of feathers. Moving upwards from the bottom of the wall-hanging, the consecutive bands of feathers are: brown, white, black and almond feathers from the mid-back of the male common pheasant; golden-brown and black feathers from the sides of the pheasant; black back feathers from the pūkeko; brown and black breast feathers of the pheasant; iridescent green, cream, black and brown feathers from the lower back of the pheasant; black brown and white upper-back feathers from the pheasant, blue feathers from the breast and bellu of the pūkeko; and dark and rusty-brown feathers from the flanks and rear sides of the pheasant. In addition, the top corner has tho types of chicken feathers; cream and grey-striped, and brown hackle feathers.

This text is based on an excerpt from Whatu Kakahu|Maori Cloaks (second edition), edited by Awhina Tamarapa, © Te Papa Press 2019.