Our Whenua

Kairaranga kaiako Margaret Bond recently led a group of weavers from around the motu on a trip to Tennyson Inlet to harvest kiekie.

It was a fun-filled and deeply moving hikoi that was made more special by the knowledge that we were following in the footsteps of our tūpuna, who would have made this exact same trip for centuries.

The tauira learned how to select the best kiekie for weaving, whilst also ensuring minimal damage to the plant so as to ensure the resource is managed sustainably.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and the knowledge they gained not just about the harvesting of this taonga, but also how to prepare and process it correctly so as to ensure the best results. Enough kiekie was harvested to enable some to be given to weavers to take home with them.