Raraka

On this page, raraka is used to refer primarily to traditional weaving technics of Māori with traditional materials.

Kōrari

Kupu

According to Lindsay (1868): "In Otago, the general name of the plant, as a whole, is Korari, or as metamorphosed by the settler pronounced and spelt Kouraeri, or Coradi."

Ray Harlow in the 1985 book A Word-list of South Island Maori shows raraka defined as 'weaving'. In institutionally-enforced reo Māori, the kupu would be raranga. This spelling was recorded by Rev. James Watkins in the early 1840s, at Waikouaiti. Harakeke is given, while korari is explained as 'a sweet fluid extracted from the flax'.

Kai- is a prefix to indicate human action, so a kairaraka is a weaver, and a kaiwhakapapa is a genealogist.

Creations

  • Arapaki — ornamental lattice work
  • Hipora — rough cape, coarse mat, 'rough basket for cooking tuna', and/or jute
  • Hōpiro — 'small basket of kōrari or kiekie'
  • Kāwhiu — 'basket used exclusively when diving for kina, pāua, and kuku. It has a wide mesh and a rope at the opening edge so that it can be closed when swimming back to shore.'
  • Kete — basket or kit
  • Kete whakairo — finely-woven, patterned kete, done by experts
  • Kī — ball
  • Kōaka — coarse mat, or a 'lingual modifier' to indicate that something is made of undressed kōrari
  • Kōnae — 'small basket woven from flax', or the 'belly of a fishing net'
  • Kono — 'small square basket for cooked food', or a noose, a knot, or a loop
  • Kōrari — Trumpet made from the plant, also the stalk of the plant, and in some dialects the name of the entire plant
  • Piri — 'closely woven protective mat used as a defence against spear thrusts' or 'woven flax foundation of a dogskin cloak'
  • Pōrera — floor mat
  • Pukupuku — 'shield - closely woven mat used for protection in battle'
  • Rāhiri — rope
  • Rahu — 'basket, made of strips of undressed flax for collecting food, etc'
  • Raurau — container, basket
  • Rawhi — basket
  • Roroi — basket
  • Rukuruku — small basket
  • Taiaroa — basket
  • Takapapa — tablecloth or cloth on which food is spread
  • Takapau — floor mat or mattress
  • Takapau wharanui — wide sleeping mat, chiefly marriage bed
  • Takapou — floor mat
  • Tātoru — three strand plaiting, rope or cord
  • Tātua — belt
  • Tātua kōtare — war belt, long band of harakeke worn around the body as armour
  • Tātua pūpara — belt for valuables
  • Taukaea — rope
  • Tīenga — ornate sleeping mat of kiekie for ceremonial occasions
  • Tukutuku — ornamental lattice work
  • Tuwhara — coarse floor mat placed under finer mats
  • Waikawa — coarse mat
  • Whakarewarangi — floor mat of black and yellow harakeke strips
  • Whāriki — floor covering, mat, carpet
  • Whiri kawe — three strand rope
  • Whiri papa — flat three strand rope
  • Whiri pāraharaha — flat three strand rope

Dress

  • Hieke — 'large coarse cloak of rough kōrari'
  • Hipora — rough cape, coarse mat, 'rough basket for cooking tuna', and/or jute
  • Kahu tāniko — 'cloak of fine flax with ornamental border'
  • Kahu-koka — 'rough outer garment of undressed flax or kiekie leaves'
  • Kākahu — catch-all for every item on this list and anything that counts as clothes or costumes
  • Koka — old, brown, dry leaves, also a rough cape made of undressed leaves
  • Mangaeka — a rain cape; rough outer garment of undressed kōrari
  • Mangaeka-tātara — cape of undressed and undyed kōrari
  • Maro — a type of short garment worn by males and females, sort of like a short kilt, loin cloth, or apron
  • Maro whaiapu — 'superior maro', made with dressed kōrari
  • Ngāeheehe — garment like a piupiu, made of undressed kōrari
  • Pākē — 'rough cape made of undressed leaves of kiekie or harakeke'
  • Piupiu — 'waist-to-knees garment made of' harakeke
  • Pūreke — 'rough rain-cape, made of undressed harakeke'
  • Tāpeka — sash, wide diagonal shoulder belt
  • Tarahau — rough cloak of kiekie leaves
  • Tihetihe — rough outer garment made of undressed harakeke
  • Whaiapu — 'superior maro', made with dressed kōrari

Misc

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I have experience with Yvonne Hammond. She is fully Pākehā. Her mother showed up to one of the weaving sessions and introduced herself in a mihi with a most serious look upon her face, which should not in itself be bad, but when a genuinely-Māori person would speak to her (which she judged by his skin colour) she would reply with 'He aha?' several times with the consistency of saying 'shut up, shut up' when he would respond, before Yvonne explained that she wanted him to speak te reo. The secondhand embarrasment was virtually overwhelming.

Also, going to a last weaving session for the season, one day, as I had moved away and not attended other sessions, and thinking I was just going to be a weaving buddy, I was expected to pay $20 for 'using Yvonne's time', despite that I had not asked for help, there was no planned activity for us to learn, and I only went to hang out. These groups or 'classes' have been primarily attended by Pākehā – pasty white women – of no Māori descent, and they frequently adopt reo phrases, karakia, and other habits for the occasions. It very quickly stopped being fun, watching this group of privileged European women pick and choose what of Māoritanga and European culture they adopt on a given day. The whole thing is, in the end, nothing short of cultural appropriation.

Overall, I could not recommend taking classes from or attending any groups involving Yvonne Hammond if one wishes for a 'by Māori, for Māori' approach when it comes to raraka, and I am frankly ashamed to have attended the first few classes after the aforementioned displays.