Maori weaver wins award

Press, 15 January 1986, Page 19

Maori weaver wins award

The 1985 Maspac Individual Artist Award of $25,000 has been granted to Maori weaver and conservationist Te Aue Davis from Auckland. The award has been made in recognition of Mrs Davis’s contribution to the fostering and development of traditional Maori weaving, the restoration of traditionally woven Maori garments and her research into the conservation of natural resources used for traditional weaving.

Mrs Davis is undertaking a conservation project funded by Maspac and the award will enable her to continue this project to its completion. She will travel all over New Zealand to research and document existing strands of plant resources such as harakeke (flax), pingao, kiekie and kuta, providing an inventory which will form the basis for planning and policy development into their protection and conservation. Much of her work will

involve meeting and working with local Maori people, trust boards, local authorities and representatives of the lands and Survey Department, Forest Service, Crown Lands and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. In addition to her conservation work the award will further enable Mrs Davis to conduct workshops on the restoration of traditional Maori garments and tutor in the art of fine weaving and weaving in general.

This is the first time the award has been made.

It is designed to provide encouragement to ' artists working in a Maori or Pacific Island medium

It is given to an established artist whose work constitutes a significant contribution to New Zealand culture and the arts and enables the recipient to undertake a major project which will further enhance the artist’s personal development ana be of continued benefit to the arts.