Tukutuku

 In Room 6 we are looking at the different cultures and traditions that make up our classroom. This week we looked at Māori weaving Tukutuku.

Tukutuku panels are used to decorate wharinui (Māori meeting houses). we also discovered the different patterns used and what they represent.

The kaokao pattern symbolises the arms of warriors performing a haka. It also symbolises mountains and the strength and shelter of the meeting house.

The māngōroa pattern symbolises the stars, especially the group of stars known as the Milky Way. There is a traditional story that tells how Māui placed a shark in the night sky to form the Milky Way. (Māngō means shark; roa means long.)

you can find out more about tukutuku by reading Junior Journal 55.

After reading about the tradition of weaving we gave it a go ourselves, but just using a very simple pattern.