Planetarium Highlight:
Dinosaurs: A Story of Survival
Rakahau te Kohika
Ceramics
Taoka Māori
Kete Whiri (Bag woven from a central braid). Whenu (strands) are braided together in a whiri (plait). This forms the base centre of the kete. Whenu have then been woven outwards from middle to edge, forming a circular kete.Two flax whiri (plaits) are connected aroung the edge, forming handles. The stitching holding one side together has begun to come apart.
He kura
Complete bowenite pounamu pendant in the shape of a fish. Mid and light green, high translucency, feather flakes. Rectangular cross section. Surface has been ground smooth. Proximal end is rounded in the shape of the fish's head, with a suspension hole drilled from both sides as the eyes and a notch at the proximal edge indicating the fish's "mouth." Pendant tapers to a point at the distal end.
Inanga pounamu/nephrite pendant. Mid-green and light brown, high translucency, chipped & cracked. Proximal edge has large rounded projection with basal groove for attaching a cord. Pendant is reduced from about the mid-section to the distal end, as well as slightly curved on one edge. Distal end has a sharp, oblique edge.
Complete pounamu/nephrite pendant in the shape of a fish. Dark green, diagonal variety split inanga/kawakawa. Surface has been ground smooth, with some flaking on one side at the proximal end. Profile is somewhat convex. Proximal end indicating the fish's head with a suspension hole for an eye and a drilled notch for the mouth. Proximal end is somewhat reduced. One side edge is serrated and other is smooth. Distal edge is sharp and similar to the cutting edge of an adze, with a bevel on one side demarcated by a line.
Complete pounamu/nephrite pendant. Dark green mottled with black, kawakawa variety. Surface is ground smooth with some small flakes chipped off of distal end. Proximal shape is rounded in the shape of a fish or a bird head with suspension hole for the eye and a drilled notch at the proximal edge for the mouth. Distal end is sharp and oblique, similar to the cutting edge of an adze, with a bevel on one side demarcated by lines.
Rāranga
Complete flax kete with single plaited handle. Natural light yellow colour. Fringe attached with single pair twine along both sides on front and back. Base fringe formed from warps. Extra weft thread added for decoration. Warps held together with single pair twine. Patterned on both sides with alternate rows of loose "ruffled" warps and single crossed thread. Handle attached to each edge, knotted and frayed, with a tassel at each end.
Kete woven from natural muka (flax fiber). Woven using whatu aho rua (two-pair weft-twining). The kaupapa (body) of this kete is decorated with mawhitiwhiti (woven cross stitch) patterns forming triangular shape in centre and loose warps ('ruffles') surrounding triangle. Back is undecorated, with weft rows further apart, except for four rows which are visible from front. Double pocketed. Frill work woven edge. Three ply whiri of flax have been added to act as handles.
Kete Muka (Tea Cosy). Woven from undyed muka using whatu aho rua (two-pair weft-twining). Kaupapa decorated with mawhitiwhiti (woven cross stitch pattern work). Decorative three ply whiri (braid) tassels adorns the top. Outer edge frill work is woven independently and sewn to the item with cotton thread and is woven using a braided tapiki (border) technique seen on some Kai Tahu kakahu.
Mahi whakairo
Complete adze. Rectangular and curved. Ground with a large linear flake on the back. Butt has minor differentiation, sides taper toward poll. Bevel continuous with blade and tapers down to cutting edge which is smooth, rounded and not very sharp. There are minor chips on the cutting edge. Right side proper has serration along the side. There are cleanly drilled holes in the top of the butt and on the right side proper of the shoulder area.