Interconnected And Interdependent

Kia ora e te whānau,

Outside of work I am a student at The Hetet School of Māori Art where I am learning a type of weaving called whatu. Where raranga is weaving associated with kete (baskets) and whāriki (mats), whatu is a weaving style associated with kākahu – clothing.

In the photo you can see me making hukahuka which are a kind of tassle that is attached to a piece of weaving. The hukahuka I am preparing in the photo will contribute towards a hieke (rain cape) I am currently making.

The other image you can see presents some key ideas relating the nature of harakeke which was kindly prepared for by Wendi Raumati, a Kaiawhina at The Māori Health Unit at Dunedin Public Hospital. This document presents the interconnected and interdependent nature of the world around us, and some examples of how this is reflected within Te Ao Māori, the Māori world.

If any of the kupu (words) or kaupapa (themes) have sparked curiosity for you, I would encourage you to check out Te Aka, the Online Māori Dictionary to learn more or come and have a kōrero with me.