Prized feathers emerge from the freezer

MESSY BUSINESS: Kaitaia weaver Sue Clarke, well suited-up for a bird pelting workshop. PICTURE/PETRINA HODGSON

Feathers were flying in Kaitaia last week when the Department of Conservation hosted a manu huruhuru (bird pelting) workshop, the first of its kind to be open to the public.

Northtec raranga tutor Te Hemoata Henare showed 25 participants, some of whom had travelled from as far afield as Te Kuiti, how to skin the birds and prepare the feathers for weaving into korowai.

More than 80 native and non-native birds found in Te Hiku, including North Island brown kiwi, North Island weka, kkupa, kotare (kingfishers) and tui were there for their use, all of them victims of dog attacks or road kill, which had been stored in DOC freezers in Kaitaia and the Bay of Islands.

"DOC receives dead native birds from the public and holds them for use in making korowai," DOC Kaitaia partnerships ranger Denice Gillespie said.

"We felt it was a traditional practice that was being lost. We wanted to get people involved and engaged, and we hope to make this an annual event during the Matariki period."

Preparing the skins was the first step in the process, Mrs Henare saying they could take up to two months to dry. Once they were ready, those wanting to weave with the feathers could apply for them via a cultural materials committee (Te Ptaka Kmiti o Te Tai Tokerau).

"For me it's all about keeping the tradition alive. It's not difficult, just a bit yucky and smelly," she said.

Kaitaia weaver Sue Clarke said she was working on a traditional korowai, so was interested in learning more about the process and how to obtain more native bird pelts.

Asked if she was finding the process difficult, she said she hadn't been sick yet; the same couldn't be said for two Northtec weaving students, who had to leave due to queasy stomachs.

Northtec raranga tutor Joy Wikitera, who delivered her class to the workshop, said it was about using a taonga and giving birds another life in korowai.

And student Vera Busby looked right at home dismantling a large albatross.

"I'm a pig hunter, so this is nothing for me," she said.

"I haven't done pelting before, but I think it's awesome. These birds are so beautiful, and it's great to be able to put them to use once again."

DOC plans to host more workshops in the future, and anyone who might be interested is welcome to contact Denice Gillespie on (09) 408-6022.