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Flax woven mat; Unknown; New Zealand; 079-2011-013-0004
FromWaimate Museum
Name/Title
Flax woven mat
Flax woven mat
About this object
Rectangular in shape, it has a fringe around the edge. The mat has a plain back with a decorative front. It has been decorated with coloured flax thread - purple and green, the colours have faded on the front, but still strong on the back.
In traditional Māori society, for almost every situation where a container was required, a weaver could manufacture a kete/basket to accommodate that need. For the softest or delicate baskets whītau/flax fibre was used. Whītau, also called muka in some districts, is obtained by stripping leaves of harakere/native flax by scraping with either the edge of a shell or more recently a blunt metal knife. This process exposes the fibres that run the length of the leaves, allowing them to be removed. Sometimes they are softly beaten and/or washed before use.
The colouring in this weaving is produced by soaking the whītau/ muka in natural dyes. Dyes were produced from either paru/black mud or from the bark from any one of a number of native trees, depending on the colour required.
Rectangular in shape, it has a fringe around the edge. The mat has a plain back with a decorative front. It has been decorated with coloured flax thread - purple and green, the colours have faded on the front, but still strong on the back.
In traditional Māori society, for almost every situation where a container was required, a weaver could manufacture a kete/basket to accommodate that need. For the softest or delicate baskets whītau/flax fibre was used. Whītau, also called muka in some districts, is obtained by stripping leaves of harakere/native flax by scraping with either the edge of a shell or more recently a blunt metal knife. This process exposes the fibres that run the length of the leaves, allowing them to be removed. Sometimes they are softly beaten and/or washed before use.
The colouring in this weaving is produced by soaking the whītau/ muka in natural dyes. Dyes were produced from either paru/black mud or from the bark from any one of a number of native trees, depending on the colour required.
Date Made
Unknown
Unknown
Subject and Association Keywords
Mat
Flax
Mat
Flax
Medium and Materials
Flax
Flax
Technique
Weaving
Weaving
Measurements
Width: 260mm
Length: 330mm
Width: 260mm
Length: 330mm
Collection
Maori: Taonga Collection
Maori: Taonga Collection
Credit Line
Unknown
Unknown
Object Type
Mat
Mat
Object number
079-2011-013-0004
079-2011-013-0004
