Mahi kai ki uta

Kete Muka woven from natural and yellow dyed muka (flax fiber). Yellow possibly raurekau bark in origin. Woven from bottom to top using whatu aho patahi (single-pair weft-twining). The body of this kete is unusually decorated as double whenu (warp strands) appear to have been used, with one strand left loose to give the body of this kete a decorated ruffled effect. Yellow and natural muka have been miro (twined) to create two cords that have been added to act as handles. Frill work woven outer edge in yellow and natural muka has been sewn to the left and right edges.

Complete flax kete with kiwi feather decoration. Warps held in place with double pair twine. Each row 1.0 - 1.5cm apart; 19 in all. Feathers attached at every third warp on alternate weft rows. Loosely twisted flax fibre handles on each side. Cast on using thrum technique and cast off from inside by placing first pair of warps to back of second pair, second pair to back of third pair, etc. Held by double pair twine. Warps then frayed to form fringe on outside around top.

Complete patu aruhe (fern root beater). There is a ridge running from neck towards beater but running out and flattening out towards end of head. There is a shoulder between beater end and handle. There are two significant splits on handle, on opposite sides. There are several smaller splits on sides of beater end. Surface is covered in small cracks, possibly burnt.

Broken slate knife is a section of the haft missing. The blade is blunt with a faint bevel on one side. One side of the knife is bruised while the other is ground. There are minor retouching on the lateral margins.

Small flax kete with twisted handle. Woven in a twill pattern from unscraped flax with no additional decoration. Natural mid-yellow colour. No base seam; cast off by folding to internal side and inserting through other flax strands.

Complete slate knife. Surface is grounded on both sides. Cutting edge is sharp and curved, with bevel on both surfaces. Haft end is flat. Broken in two pieces and gluded back together.

Broken slate knife, one lateral margin remaining. Cutting edge is sharp and chipped. Surface is mostly ground with some bruising on both sides. Usewear is present at blade and across surface. Haft is sawn flat.

Mostly complete slate knife, chip missing from cutting edge. Cutting edge is blunt at distal end and sharp at one lateral margin. Surface is ground on one side and bruised on the other side. Some flaking is present at haft and one side of cutting edge.

Mostly complete rock knife, large chip missing from cutting edge. Cutting edge is blunt and chipped. Surface is ground on one side and bruised on the other side. Usewear is present on cutting edge.

Fragment of kete woven from undyed harakeke (flax) using the takitahi (over one, under one) pattern. Remains of three ply whiri (braid) finish at the top.

Complete wooden patu aruhe (beater for preparing fern root). Possibly kowhai, plain triangular shaped head (irregularly rounded) with bruised front face ridge. Ridge at rear which tapers down to a round handle. A small burn site at butt end of handle which is also irregularly rounded.

Wooden patu aruhe (beater for preparing fern root), possibly kowhai. Narrow blade, ending in curved edge. Cross-section is oval. Blade tapers slightly to handle. Handle ends with a rounded knob.