A series of whāriki wānanga throughout 2008 were held to regenerate the skill base of rāranga whāriki in the Ūawa area.

Creative New Zealand’s Māori Arts Board Te Waka Toi and Christina Wirihana assisted the whāriki wānanga, where beautiful whāriki for Ūawa Marae were woven and existing whāriki were preserved.

“The idea for this project came from memories of my kuia. My kuia Matarina would lay weathered whāriki and carpet off-cuts on the veranda of the wharenui, before the tupapaku arrived. I asked her about the whāriki and she told me the people of Te Horo Marae above Waiōmatatini made them in 1943,” says Michelle Collis. “She also said they were part of an initiative started by Sir Apirana Ngata to upgrade our deteriorating marae.”

The primary purpose of the whāriki wānanga was to develop the knowledge base of the whānau, hapū and iwi in the area of rāranga whāriki. Invitations were extended to each of the five marae in the Ūawa rohe.

Central to this project was Michelle’s kuia Matarina (Madeline) Tangohau, who was able to fill the wānanga with a living history and ensured the correct tikanga associated with Hauiti Marae and rāranga was practised.

Weaver Christina Wirihana (Ngāti Maniapoto-Raukawa; Ngāti Whawhakia, Tainui; Ngāti Pikiao, Te Arawa) was also on hand to support the wānanga. “They were keen to provide wānanga specifically focusing on whāriki with strong support from local iwi, hapū and whānau. I knew that when I left them alone to return to my home in Rotoiti, they were getting on with the mahi,” says Christina.

The results from the wānanga speak for themselves. An exhibition of the whāriki at Hauiti Marae in November last year demonstrated how successful the project has been.

For Michelle Collis the wānanga has exceeded expectations – the rohe’s rāranga whāriki skills have been increased and the marae has new whāriki to replace the carpet off-cuts.