behind the weave · limited edition · story

Te Whare o Te Whakaiti - Behind the Weave

Jan 20, 2022

Te Whare o Te Whakaiti.

Inspired by Te Whare Whakairo and Huikākahu Brian Kawe.

In 1967 Huikākahu met our mother Wikitoria, who hails from a small country village called Pōrangahau. There he would spend time in the midst of her grandfather, father, uncles and the elders of Ngāti Kere, the tribe affiliated with the marae of Rongomaraeroa and its ancestral house, Te Poho o Kahungunu. During one of our visits back to Pōrangahau, we were humbled as our extended whānau took care and inspired us as they shared stories of how Dad was held in high esteem, and how they were moved by his humility, his heart for the people and his deep love for their princess, Wikitoria.

As we sat in Te Poho o Kahungungu, we were in awe of its beautiful design and our shared experience. From this space Te Whare o Te Whakaiti - The House of Humility was created that we may be reminded to always carry ourselves with confidence and humility as we work for our people on behalf of our ancestors and the generations to come.

The body of this blanket is inspired by the tukutuku design, Roimata Toroa - The tears of the Albatross. This design has a number of narratives associated with it, one of which speaks of the Toroa acting as a guide for our ancestors on their journeys back and forth from Hawaiiki. This is a beautiful reminder for us all to remain humble in our journey and to always acknowledge each of the spheres of influence that have helped us to arrive to our Hawaiiki.

The borders of this blanket are influenced by the pāpaka motif that lines Te Poho o Kahungunu, the meeting house at Rongomaraeroa Marae. It is an opportunity to acknowledge our mother, Ngāti Kere and Pōrangahau, and to honour a place where we have been continuously humbled by abundant hospitality and love.