item details
Overview
This kaitaka paepaeroa (fine flax cloak decorated on three borders) was presented to the Reverend Christie by Tamihana Te Rauparaha, the only surviving son of the nineteenth-century fighting chief Te Rauparaha. The cloak was later taken to England, and then on to Portugal, before being returned to New Zealand by Christie's granddaughter. There are no dates for any of these incidents.
Kaitaka
Kaitaka (fine flax cloaks) are among the more prestigious forms of traditional Māori dress. They are made from muka (flax fibre), which is in turn made from those varieties of harakeke (flax: Phormium tenax) that yield the finest quality fibre, characterised by a silk-like texture and rich golden sheen. Kaitaka are usually adorned with broad tāniko (embroidery or weaving in a geometric pattern) borders at the remu (bottom) and narrow tāniko bands along the kauko (sides). The ua (upper border) is plain and undecorated. The kaupapa (main body) of the cloak is usually unadorned.
Sub-categories
There are several sub-categories of kaitaka: parawai, where the aho (wefts) run horizontally; kaitaka paepaeroa, where the aho run vertically; kaitaka aronui or patea, where the aho run horizontally with tāniko bands on the sides and bottom borders; huaki, where the aho run horizontally with tāniko bands on the sides and two broad tāniko bands, one above the other, on the lower border; and huaki paepaeroa, which has vertical aho with double tāniko bands on the lower border.