Overview
Kahu tōī are prestigious warrior capes made of leaf fibre from the hardy tōī (mountain cabbage tree). Discover what gives them their status and how they are made.
Fit for a warrior
Kahu tōī are warrior cloaks of great prestige - not everyday working garments as their heavy, shaggy appearance might suggest. They are the only form of pākē (rain cape) to carry the title ‘kahu’, which is used for important garments alone.
The high status of kahu tōī is connected to their strength and difficult construction. The fibre is much tougher and more water-resistant than muka (the flax fibre typically used to create cloaks), but it is also harder to work with. Consequently, constructing a kahu tōī requires great skill.Extracting the tōī fibre - retting
In the past, Māori extracted the fibre of tōī by retting - a process used worldwide to break down the substances holding plant fibres together.
Little is known about Māori retting. Weavers probably soaked the tōī leaves in cold water for several days, then rubbed the fibres by hand to remove remaining unwanted matter.Weaving kahu tōī
Māori used this fibre to weave the base. They worked from the base up, attaching hukahuka (leaf strips) as they went to channel away the rain. Other pākē were also created this way - much like a thatched roof.
But hukahuka made from tōī leaves were too stiff to be doubled over and attached like those of other plant fibres. Weavers use a different technique. They attached the hukahuka in groups, bending one end of the strips across three or more vertical strands, then re-anchoring them. Kahu tōī were finished with a thick plait, which protected the wearer from a blow to the neck. They were then dyed black with paru (iron-rich mud). The cloaks would stay waterproof for many years.