Matariki 2025: Kono Raranga Workshop with Amber Fonua

Matariki 2025: Kono Raranga Workshop

Kono Raranga - harakeke weaving workshops celebrate Matariki by weaving together people, stories and culture. Participants learn traditional Māori weaving from experienced artists creating beautiful pieces while sharing kai and korero. The workshops foster community, connection and cultural understanding. As people weave, they reflect on relationships, environment and the stars guidance. Raranga’s meditative quality promotes balance and harmony.

By joining, it’s a chance to slow down, appreciate nature and find common ground. Weaving becomes a metaphor for life- strengthening relationships and creating something beautiful together. Community and culture thrive.

Kai and light refreshments will be provided by DEPOT.

Amber Fonua

Te manu kiro, Nōna te ngahere: 

Te manu kai mātauranga, nōna te ao. 

The bird that eats the miro berries, 

theirs is the forest: 

The bird that consumes knowledge 

the world is theirs. 

Ko Amber Fono ahau 

He Raranga Kaiako ki Te Wananga o Aotearoa 

No Tonga me Aotearoa ahau 

‘This semester TWOA have had a lot of challenges with flooding and refurbishing. My new class has gelled well and found our flow quickly. We visited Te Ra at Auckland Museum and the classes' reaction to te Ra was enthusiastic and the class realised quickly their competence in weaving and design.’ 

Amber considers it a blessing to walk beside weavers and introduce them to Whare Pora. The learning done together, weaving the class to each other, and connecting them to the whakapapa of weavers that have for generations kept mahi raranga alive- long enough for us to awaken to it’s existence and shoulder of the kaitiaki.