Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Kete |
Title |
Kete, square with strap made of plaited flax. |
Description |
Kete, square with strap made of plaited flax. The kete has 2 tassels, one on each side of the strap. It has decoration in a cross-stitch design on both sides of red and black flax; the colouring extends onto the flax fringe. The colouring in this weaving is produced by soaking the whatau/ 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. This kete wh?tau/muka was made between 1880s and 1900s and can best be described as 'fashion' or dress items as they were intended to be used on social occasions where everybody would wear their "Sunday best" clothes. It has two tassels on either side of the strap. In traditional Maori 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 whatau/flax fibre was used. Whatau, 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. Donated by Mrs AJ McRae, Augustine Street, Waimate |
Collection |
Maori Taonga Collection |
Dimensions |
W-17 L-19 cm |
Width (cm) |
17.000 |
People |
McRae, AJ |
Subjects |
Kete |
Search Terms |
Kete |
Catalogue Number |
1970-098-003 |