Tatua (belt)

In ancestral times, tatua (men's belts) were worn around the waist and used to carry short-handled weapons. Some tatua are held in museum collections of taonga (treasures) around the world. The tatua in the collection at Te Papa became the inspiration for Matthew MacIntyre Wilson's series of intricately woven belts in fine silver and copper Each of these belts uses a different technique, to create a distinctive pattern. Two are woven using a repeating spiral patterns to create an illusion of continuity and depth. One uses a strong simple layout of alternating copper and silver threads. McIntyre Wilson has modelled the fastenings on belts from other Pacific Islands, particularly the Solomon Islands. He has used waxed linen thread in the fastenings, for flexibility in tying.