The internet can be a wonderful thing sometimes and has connected me with many people throughout Aotearoa. One valuable connection I have made is with my cousin Tahi Walsh who now lives all the way in Germany. He has been inspiring in his passion and love of all things Māori. He showed me these whakaahua, sourced from the Auckland Heritage Images website and DigiNZ, and made me look closely at their taringa (ears). It is well documented that Māori used aute rolled up and placed in their ears. I can’t help but look at these portraits and imagine that these ribbons were once made from aute?
"By the time British and French explorers reached NZ, the only remaining Maori use of tapa was decorative rolls in mens' perforated earlobes"
"The ornaments consisted of very small white rolls of tapa cloth thrust through the holes, often with a greenstone pendant hanging below"
Roger Neich - Pacific Tapa
I would love to make one of these. I think they are called pōhoi. An area I would definitely like to look into more closely.