About a year ago I attended a workshop to make a tukutuku – a latticework panel used to decorate a Māori meeting house. You can read the blog post about it here: unfortunately, we ran out of time to complete it.
Happily, the tutors Jim and Cathy Schuster returned to the UK a couple of weeks ago, so my weaving partner Geraldine and I were able to attend another session to complete our panel.
Our pattern was called poutama, representing the stairway climbed to heaven to obtain the baskets of knowledge. It symbolises progress and the journey through life being onward and upward. Previously we had just about finished the central stepped sequence.
Jim and Cathy brought more materials with them, including some dyed kakaho, so we were able to add a different colour to the weaving. As ever, it took longer than we expected, but we diligently cracked on and managed to get it finished by the end of the day.
One other weaving couple finished their panel too, while others made steady progress.
There were several other sessions planned, so hopefully more panels were subsequently completed.
It was fascinating talking to Jim and Cathy about a local wharenui (Māori meeting house) they have restored recently in New Zealand and seeing photos of it before and after. They have also been involved in the conservation of Hinemihi, a wharenui at Clandon Park in Surrey brought from New Zealand to England by the 4th Earl of Onslow, William Hillier, in 1892. The National Trust, which owns Clandon Park, has plans to return Hinemihi to New Zealand in the future. The project is a three-way partnership between the National Trust, Te Maru o Hinemihi (which helped organise the workshop), and Ngā Kohinga Whakairo o Hinemihi Charitable Trust.
At the moment there are no definite plans about what will happen to the tukutuku. There are proposals to build a new wharenui at Clandon Park when Hinemihi returns to New Zealand, with carvings created by specialist Māori carvers. It would be lovely if the panels could be used there.
Loved the variety of patterns and their meanings ♥️ and the different colours♥️ It would be wonderful to see a wall made out of them and their storytelling ♥️👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Thanks Joan. It will be interesting to see what happens to them all!