Weaving

Last week was Maori language week for 2018.

Room 8 spent time learning about Maori vowels and consonants, how to correctly pronounce NZ place names and the meaning being Maori place names. We sung songs, read stories, leant action songs with our buddy class and even had a go at weaving our own putiputi from harakeke.

Some parts were a bit tricky, but we helped each other and persevered to create a lovely flower.

We spent time learning about the tikanga involved with weaving flax.

We know:

• A karakia is said before harvesting the flax. This is to give thanks, to ask that no harm comes to the harvester, the weaver or whoever will receive the finished product. I also acknowledges that harakeke is a taonga - a gift.
• When cutting harakeke you should cut from both sides of the plant to keep it balanced. It's also important to only cut the outer leaves, not the inner ones as that is where the new flax grows from. 
• Pregnant women should not harvest harakeke - they are tapu.
• Harakeke should be harvested during fine days, not at night or in the rain as that can affect the quality of the harakeke.
• The first item you make should be given away.

Some of the new vocabulary we learnt...

Harakeke - Flax

Raranaga - To weave

Tikanga - custom

Putiputi - flower

Tapu - sacred