hand-weaved flax roses
The first weaving project a person completes is given away to your friend or family or anybody else. It's the spirit of Maori weaving. |
Softer, thinner leaves with a shorter useable weaving strip, up to about 50cm in length, are good for smaller items. Larger items require thicker, stronger leaves and longer strips.
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Flax plants can be found along riverbank or on hill. The outer leaves are cut as close to the base of the leaf as possible.
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Maori flax weaving can only be learnt the old way, by sitting, by listening, by touching and by doing.
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Start with a full leaf and pull off the hard midrib. Split it into strips of an even width right across the leaf.
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Before weaving, you have to soften the strips by shell or the blunt edge of a butter knife. Scrape the flax in each direction, pulling to the end of the strip each way.
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Fold the outside strip of the leaf back behind the strip next to and weave it over the next strip and under next strip.
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Kete (bags, baskets) - Maori use the kete for carrying their food, belongings and taonga (treasures).
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Hi there, what is the mythology behind they way the flax is cut. I was told once, but can't recall, something to do with children, parents and elders
Chantelle de Beer · 2008-12-04: 04:12
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The Flax Bush or Pa Harakeke which is more commonly known by Maori is a family. In the centre of the plant are the rito or the babies of the whanau, as the plant grows the next leaves are the siblings and as you get out further there are the parents and grandparents. When cutting Harakeke you cut the leaves from the outside of the plant working your to the middle and never cutting the the rito which are the 3 leaves in the middle. If the rito are cut the Pa Harakeke will die.
Bubs · 2009-01-29: 20:17
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It's very interesting! I like the hand-weaved flax roses and the stars!
shine · 2009-06-29: 09:10
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