MAKING MANU TUKUTUKU, FOR MATARIKI!

with ANNIE JANE AH MU

Saturday 1 July - 9:00am to 12:00pm (3 hours)

Join celebrated weaving tutor Annie Jane Ah Mu at Kelmarna Gardens for this unique seasonal opportunity to build your very own manu tukutuku traditional Māori kite!

This session will guide you through some of the history and customs around manu tukutuku, their materials, and their links to Matariki celebrations before you get hands-on to make your own. Get into the season and come away with an understanding of the culture, firsthand experience with the craft, and an airborne creation to take home and share!

What to expect:

The session will begin with an overview of the materials in your kit (including rau harakeke, raupō, and toetoe) as well as the fundamentals of tikanga, or the customs and protocols surrounding making and using manu tukutuku. Then Annie will lead you from start to finish in assembling your kit into a beautiful kite of your own!

This workshop is also a great opportunity to spend time with a friend or family member! The partnership package lets you bring along a mate, share the cost, and work together on the build. Parents are also more than welcome to come with their kiddo, provided the child is 14 years or older. So make memories and make lighter work with more hands by pairing up to enjoy this hands-on session ahead of the Matariki holiday!

Please note that the finished manu tukutuku is sizeable (up to approx. 750mm x 625mm), so it's important to plan ahead for transporting it home with you. It should fit easily into most vehicles, but please be prepared to have or make room for it when it's time to go home, especially if you plan to bike or take public transport!

Ticket types:

Single ticket = for an individual participant, with session admission for one person + one build kit
Partnership package = for two participants, with session admission for both people + one build kit to share

Tickets include: Guided instruction and materials for building a manu tukutuku (one full kit per Single ticket OR Partnership package), guidance in tikanga regarding the craft, the materials, and links to Matariki

What to bring:

Essential:

a pair of scissors (for manipulating the materials)
a refillable water bottle (to stay hydrated)
weather appropriate gear (to keep comfortable)

Recommended:

an old bath towel (to greatly improve your work station)
a pair of gloves (to help work with the materials)
a notebook and pen (to take notes, if you like)
a face covering or mask (for indoors or close quarters)

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Annie Jane Ah Mu is a weaver in the Māori tradition, working with natural fibres like harakeke (New Zealand flax) and with techniques of raranga and whatu weaving. From Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Annie Jane has a degree from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and has been working in the community for more than 10 years to teach the art, craft, and culture of weaving.

Whaea Annie works with Auckland Council to provide sessions in raranga harakeke at community organisations like Nathan Homestead, Onehunga Community House, and Māngere Arts Centre. She also works with the ACE program (Adult Community Education) to provide classes at Aorere College and Onehunga High School.

Annie Jane’s passion for weaving is grounded in the harakeke plant, the connection with nature, and therapy for people through the craft. She believes that weaving is not only an important path for learning about Māori art, but an important practice in reviving skills and tikanga/customs from the past to help support people and our community in the present.

In this workshop, Whaea Annie is looking forward to taking the opportunity to highlight the season and expand your celebration of Matariki, te tau hou Māori, while sharing skills, connecting with tikanga/customs, and experiencing for yourself the therapy of the craft.