MAORI MEETING HOUSE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29024, 13 October 1959, Page 11

MAORI MEETING HOUSE

Weaving Of Panels Maoris in Canterbury, Westland, and the North Island are helping to make tuku tuku panels for the first traditional Maori meeting house to be built in the South Island in more than 100 years. The meeting house is being built at the Rehua Maori Boys’ Hostel in Springfield road. Maoris at Little River, Hapaki, and Taumutu are being given instruction in the weaving which is the basis of tuku tuku work, and Arahura and Foxton Maoris are collecting rare flaxes which will be woven into the frames of the panels. Modern half-round will be used on the frames instead of the supplejack used by early Maoris. Mrs Henry Toka has been appointed tutor for the tuku tuku work by the Rehua Maori Mission Hostel committee. She gave her first instruction at Rapaki on Friday night, and another lesson at Taumutu yesterday. Little River Maoris will be instructed in the weaving tonight. The completed panels will line the walls of the meeting house between carvings being prepared by Mr Henry Toka. Foundations have already been laid, and soon a contractor will erect the frame and roof. After that 25 of the hostel boys, apprentice carpenters, will complete the construction.