New craft shop

Tu Tangata, Issue 20, 1 October 1984, Page 17

New craft shop

‘Kia ora' has hit Newtown a bit more physically than other areas.

With help from her husband Pat. Moana Reed has now opened the “Kia Ora" shop in Wellington. The shop will be selling the usuals, like cigarettes, books, confectionary, and somewhere amongst all this, will be handmade maori craft.

These craft include bone carvings, or wood carvings, in fact, anything that people have a genuine interest in making. will be sold.

The idea of selling these wares came from Moana's cousin who is a warden

at Mount Crawford Prison. “There are so many people in prisons who learn bone carving, wood carving, painting mirrors, and they don't have anywhere to market their goods when their sentence is over.” Well, here's the start for most of these people.

And although the prison idea was one of her first inspirations, she says that she has a similar arrangement for the handicapped society, multiplesclerosis victims, in fact for anyone who needs their work recognised. But it doesn't mean that only maori artists and craftspersons will be catered for. She feels that it doesn't matter which end of the earth they come from, if they’re good at what they make then they must be given the opportunity as well.

The main aim of the small shop is to let people know they have somewhere to go if they need this kind of help.

However, she draws a distinct line between greed and genuine desire for the craft.

“I don’t want to be greedy, in fact. I’m only the salesperson. But I don’t want any old thing.

"I want to meet the person, ask them the meaning of their particular item, and if they can answer that, then I know it’s coming from where they feel, and not making a profit out of maori culture.

“They must be genuine. I want to know where the money is going to. If they’re doing it just to make themselves rich then they can go elsewhere. But, if they’re doing this kind of work to raise money for their marae, or for any maori group, then that’s fine I can relate to that.”

The prices of the pieces she'll be selling will most likely be determined by the respective craftperson. “People don’t realise the amount of work that goes into these fine pieces that are casually worn around. The hours of work that’s put into it, the message that the craftsperson is trying to put across, materials, and the commitment is what people are paying for not just the decoration that comes out of it.”