October 12, 2021
Keen interest in tukutuku kits
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A Taipa-based artist has come up with a kit to help people learn the ancient art of tukutuku or woven geometric wall panels.
Awhina Murupaenga from Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahu and Ngāpuhi has just won a $5000 Pakihi Māori grant from small business network Manaaki to kickstart her Whatu Creative business.
The trainee teacher came up with the idea of Tukutuku Toi Kits because of the interest shown in the work she was doing in Kaitaia schools as part of the Education Ministry’s Creating in Schools kaupapa.
Parents wanted to know how their tamariki could continue making tukutuku during holidays and lockdowns.
She says schools are looking for resources to complement the new history curriculum, and there is also interest from health and social services.
“Through word of mouth and social media we’ve had lots of interest in the hauora sector, from mental health, youth workers, psychologists, because they see the value of having these types of raumi available to help all the people in the different sectors in the mahi that they do,” Ms Murupaenga says.