Harakeke

Tihei mauri ora! This week we have been reading a text about harakeke (flax). We learnt about its importance to the Maori culture. We discovered some interesting facts about harakeke. It takes about 17 years to mature before it can be harvested. The harakeke has three distinct blades, these are called "whaea" (mother), "matua" (father), and "rito" (baby). When cutting the harakeke, you need to cut the "tipuna" (grandparent) blades on the outside of the plant, and it should never be cut in the rain. We weaved the plant to create a headband. The left-over plant material needed to be returned back to where it first came from. The children enjoyed the experience and gifted their first headband to another person as a sign of respect and Maori protocol. We began and ended the session with a karakia. A special thank you to Mrs Collyer for your input. Enjoy our photos.