KOROWAI O MAATA

April 29 – June 18, 2017

 

The Southland Museum and Art Gallery Niho o te Taniwha is honoured to present Korowai o Maata, an exhibition featuring the completed and beautiful woven whānau korowai from students who attended the wānanga at Te Rau Aroha Marae.

 

Awarua Rūnanga hosted a series of wānanga at Te Rau Aroha Marae in Bluff, enlisting Maata McManus’s tutelage to teach participants the skills to weave a whānau korowai. Maata McManus (Waikato Tainui) is renowned for her skill in weaving korowai, the prestigious feathered cloak worn at significant occasions. She is committed to ensuring that her knowledge is passed on and seeing this skill become more widespread throughout communities is of special significance.

 

The wānanga began in June 2015, and took place at Te Rau Aroha Marae on a monthly basis, following the tried and true formula that Maata has used for years, having established Te Korowai o Maata 18 years ago: the students began work at the marae on Friday evening, stayed overnight, and continued weaving until Saturday afternoon. Those who had attended before would carry on with their korowai under the guidance of Maata and two tutors who accompany her from Ngāruawāhia. First-time students are shown the art of whatu, or finger weaving, before beginning their first project. Once this has been completed, students move onto their whānau korowai.

 

Excerpts from the article; WEAVING The thread that binds past with future

Anna Brankin, TE KARAKA, Kana/Spring 2016

 

This exhibition will be on display in the Community Access Gallery from Saturday April 29 until June 18, 2017, at the Southland Museum & Art Gallery, 108 Gala Street, Invercargill.