Overview
Early Maori learned to use many plants other than harakeke (New Zealand flax) to weave kakahu (cloaks), some of which are outlined here. They chose particular plants for particular purposes. Their survival depended on exploiting all available resources.
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Kiekie
The woody vine kiekie (Freycinetia banksii) is a member of the tropical Pandanus family, which is used by many Pacific peoples in weaving.
Past Maori weavers sometimes used the fibre and leaves of kiekie to make cloaks, as well as items such as whariki (mats) and tututuku (wall panels). Strips of the long leaves, when boiled and dried, are easy to work and dye.Toi - mountain cabbage tree
The strong leaves of the toi (mountain cabbage tree, Cordyline indivisa) produce coarse, durable fibre. Maori valued this fibre for weaving the base of kahu toi - the rain capes of warriors. They covered the base with leaf strips to provide superb protection from poor weather - and from the blows of another warrior’s weapon.
The toi is a related to the ti kouka (cabbage tree), which grows in lower areas.
Ti kouka - cabbage tree
The tough, durable leaves of the ti kouka (cabbage tree, Cordyline australis) do not shrink in water. They were once used to make items like anchor ropes, fishing nets, straps for carrying heavy loads, and sandals, and sometimes also cloaks.
Tikumu - mountain daisy
Tikumu (Celmisia spp) are mountain daisies. In the past, Maori attached the silvery underside of the leaves to a woven base of muka (flax fibre) to create a highly prestigious form of rain cape. They also worked the silvery ‘down’ into other cloaks to make them waterproof.
Neinei - spiderwood
Maori sometimes used the stiff leaves of neinei (spiderwood, Dracophyllum spp) to form decorative strips for attaching to the woven base of cloaks. Sometimes the strips had a more practical purpose - to channel rain away.
The neinei tree, with its clumps of long pointy leaves at the ends of its branches, resembles the trees drawn by children’s author Doctor Seuss.
Houhere - lacebark
The elegant forest tree houhere (lacebark, Hoheria spp) has a lace-like inner bark. Maori used this bark for fine weaving on the trims of cloaks, kete (baskets), headbands, and so on.
Pingao - golden sand sedge
Maori used the golden leaves of the grass-like pingao (golden sand sedge, Ficinia spiralis) to create rain capes, often combining it with other materials such as muka (flax fibre). The vibrant colour of pingao provided a striking contrast to other natural or black-dyed fibres.
Pingao was once common on sand dunes around New Zealand.