MAORI FEATHER CLOAK

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 63, 18 September 1939, Page 3

MAORI FEATHER CLOAK

HOW IT IS WOVEN Maori cloaks or shoulder mats, according to the material of which they are made, sometimes indicated the rank of the weaver. Most prized of all were cloaks covered with kaka parrot feather. They were known as ka.hu kura and were essentially the mantle of high chieftainship. Next in order came the kiwi feather cloaks which were visually worn by women of rank. Reference to cloaks ol this type is made by Makarete, sometime chieftaincss of the Arawa tribe. and known in New Zealand as Maggie Papakura, in her book, "The Oldtime Maori.'" In her book a photograph of Maori garments, including a feather cloak, is described as follows: "Wool and kiwi cloak, Whakahekeheke lciwi i and huka huka mat (59in, by 46in) worn by me at King George's Coronation. "The Maori was acquainted with a rude form of weaving and the art is said in Maori myth to have originated Avith or to be under the patronage of Hine-to-Iwaiawa j also known as Hina, who is a personification of the moon,, writes Elsdon Best in "The Maori As He Was." "Another old myth is to the effect thai when Mataroa visited the spirit world he brought back with him to this world the 'knowledge of the art of tattooing, and also a famous cloak and belt known as Te Rangi Haupapa and Te Ruruku-o-te-rangi. They were utilised as patterns for garments by the men and women of this world who have ever since continued to weave garments in a similar manner." Weaving operations were surrounded by Maori ritual and superstition. For instance, it was considered unlucky to weave a superior, garment in the open air, after sunset, or mi the presence of strangers. Feather cloaks were made by knotting the feathers into the tlax thread which formed the basis of the garment.