Women Taught Maori Carving

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30794, 5 July 1965, Page 2

Women Taught Maori Carving

"The Press” Special Service AUCKLAND, July 4. Maori carving, traditionally a man’s role, is another male stronghold under attack. Two Maori women are learning to carve at the school of cultural arts and crafts run by the Waitemata district council of the Maori Women’s Welfare League.

“Women have never done any carving,’’ said Mrs K. G. Bidots, of Ponsonby, secretary of the council. “But since the atomic age woman has taken up so many things that belong to men. “It is nice to know,” she added, “that the hand that

rocks the cradle is going to rock Maori tradition.” Mrs Bidois and Mrs J. Tehira, are taking lessons in carving from Mr P. Noble, Mrs Bidois’s brother. Mrs Bidois learned her Maori crafts from her mother and grandmother in Kaitaia. “When they wanted to teach me how to weave flax 1 would say that I would have wall-to-wall carpet, little knowing that flax is cheaper and warm,” she said. The atmosphere at the school is congenial. With infinite patience Maori women instruct their pupils. Since Maori art can never be achieved sitting in a chair, most people sit or squat on the floor.

Mats hanging from the walls, carvings propped up, cloaks draped on chairs and heaps of flax on the floor

create an atmosphere which is completed with a large jar of fresh raw mussels for morning tea. The group has been functioning for three months. Women attend every Monday morning and decide which craft they wish to learn. Then they bring their own materials.

Some, like Mrs A. Deegan, of Ponsonby, have trouble deciding which craft to tackle first. “I am very keen to learn,” she said, concentrating on her kono or food basket. "That is the trouble. I want to do everything at once. “I was the only Maori girl at school in Matamata, and although I am ashamed of it, I just never learned any Maori crafts.”

Most of the teachers learned the arts from childhood.

"I have been doing this since I was a little girt of seven or eight,” said Mrs R. Baker, of Panmure, who is an expert at taniko, or the weaving of belts, waistbands and bodices. She is anxious that young Maori children should learn more of their own culture. “I know it is very hard for children to pick up the language when they are living in the city,” she said. Mrs M. McDonald, of Ponsonby, is an expert at flax weaving and she demonstrated her art at the recent Festival of Arts. Mrs M. Tuwhare concentrates on making cloaks, an art she learned from her mother, and has just started again. Mrs N. Huatahi, who was busy making intricate baskets

for food or flowers said she learned basketmaking from a European woman.