Ehara i te mea ko ngā waiata me ngā nekenekehanga noa iho e whakamātauria ana. Engari, ko ngā taera, ngā pūeru hoki ka whakamātauria.
He tohunga raranga a Hone Bailey, kei Hawai’i ia e noho ana. Nōnā i Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga, i kaha tana whakamiharo atu ki ngā pūeru me ngā taera o ngā kākāhu i kite i te papa whakatū waewae
“Te ataahua o ngā kākahu. I a au e tirotiro ana ki ngā kākahu ka peka atu ōku whakaaro ki ngā hau kāinga puta noa i te motu. Kua kaha tuitui, raranga, whatu, whiri rānei i ngā piupiu, pari. Kei reira ōku whakaaro.”
He says he would like to see groups use more natural fibers. But understands that this process takes time.
“My hope is always that our people have access to these spaces to be a part of the making (of the costumes), and as weavers, we have a close connection to our taiao.
Kākāhu winners
The groups that came away with the Kākahu award at Te Matatini were Te Kapa Haka o Ngā Hau e Whā ki Murihiku, Te Taha Tū, Mōtai Tangata Rau, Tauira Mai Tawahiti, Waihirere, and Te Hokowhitu a Tū.
Mōtai Tangata Rau wowed audiences at the Tainui regional competition last year when the women wore colonial-style white dresses paired with piupiu. They carried their kākahu through to Te Matatini, securing them a spot as 1st place getters for kākahu.
Te Taumata o Apanui impressed the online haka community when, just a week before the competition, they revealed that they had crafted all the piupiu themselves.
Bailey commends rōpū for using natural resources and fibres at Te Matatini.
“It’s important that all our people connect to our taiao and understand that it’s from our taiao that all of these things are given to us.
Back in January, Bailey led a group of Tūwharetoa weavers to create what could be the largest ever piupiu for display at the Biennale of Sydney.
Each garment is carefully crafted, often using natural materials like flax, feathers, and bone. Bailey believes the benefits to performers will be significant.
“My hope is always that our people have access to these spaces to be a part of the making of the garments.
“I believe that if they do have engagement with the making of their kākahu, it will change how they perform.
