Mahi kai ki uta

Broken schist knife, no discernable cutting edge. Surface is grounded on both sides, with flake scarring on both surfaces.

Rourou (food bowl). Woven with ten whenu (strands) of harakeke (flax) from the centre outwards in a takitahi pattern. Completed by trimming left over whenu on the interior with outer whenu tucked back into the weave of the bowl. Tied with a small piece of harakeke to secure. Four whenu are woven into a round four ply whiri (plait) used to make a handle. Rourou were frequently constructed as single or limited use items as they were quick and easy to weave.

Kete woven from undyed harakeke (flax). This kete has been woven initially as a flat piece in a takirua (over two, under two) pattern, with the base being woven together after the initial weaving. The kete was then inverted to hide the base join internally. It has been finished with a tapiki (finish) where the whenu have been folded internally before being trimmed. X2 four ply round whiri (braids) have been introduced to act as handles.

Complete tatā (canoe bailer). Elongated and narrow, made from mid brown rimu with a dark red stain. Handle formed in two curved pieces, joining together at a face carving on the butt. Proximal end of the scoop has a pakura design around the exterior surface of the rim. Horizontal grooves on the exterior bottom of the proximal end of the scoop. The interior surface and distal end of the exterior surface of the scoop are smooth and undecorated. The interior of the scoop has a ridge at about the midpoint, tapering to the pouring lip.

Kete Whiri, a basket woven from an internal base whiri (braid). Woven with natural and dyed brown harakeke (flax) in takitahi pattern (over one, under one) with a flat bottom adaptation. Finished with an external whiri (braid) around the brim before whenu (strands) are trimmed. X2 three ply whiri (braids) have been threaded into the weaving to act as handles.

Single poha (kelp bag) made of rimurapa (bull kelp). A piece of wire remains at the top possibly used as a tie. Made from a species of yellow bull kelp harvested from the southern oceans in the warmer months. They were cut vertically and a hand was used to part the honeycomb partitions within the kelp to make the interior. The bag was then inflated and tied to dry/cure. Poha were frequently used by southern Maori to store and preserve salted titi (mutton bird) and other food sources.

Complete argilite knife. Cutting edge is sharp and chipped. Surface is ground at distal end and the rest bruised, flaked at haft and one lateral margin. Bevel is present at lateral margins.

Broken wooden bowl with flat base, possibly of kowhai wood. Oval in shape. At the more narrow end of the bowl there is a small 1cm long projection at the edge of the lip. Below this projection there is a large fragment missing from this end. On the opposite end of the bowl (the wider end) there is a small 1cm long projection from other end about 1cm below the upper edge. The sides on the outside are almost perpendicular, particularly at widest end and on one side. The inside slopes to a flat base. There is a large fragment missing from the bottom of the bowl. There are visible repairs where previously broken.

Broken slate knife, distal end remaining. Surface is grounded on both sides. Cutting edge is sharp and curved.

Broken slate knife. Distal end remaining. Surface is grounded on both sides. Cutting edge is sharp and curved.

Complete tatā (canoe bailer). Light brown rimu wood. Surface is worked smooth but with wood grain still evident. Handle is straight with a carved face at the butt (browline, bulbous eyes, and nose are indicated). Style departs from traditional design with handle at back, indicates European influence. A chip is missing from centre edge of pouring edge.

A finely woven variation of a konae, a two cornered bag made with an even number of whenu (strands) from a folded square base. Woven with natural harakeke in a takirua (over two, under two) pattern. Remains of a braided tapiki (finish) that has been used internally can be visualised. A muka cord has then been attached to this kete to create a pouch drawstring