Whangamatā fibre group marks 50 years

Robin Henry with life members Rosemary Medforth and Judy Hares and another long-standing club member, Ann Schrieber.

Fifty years' worth of friendship is a good reason to celebrate in style, says the committee of the Whangamatā Creative Fibre, which held its jubilee at the memorial hall recently.

Past and present members and friends of the group formerly known as Whangamatā Spinners and Weavers heard two speakers before enjoying a high tea-style lunch catered by another local group.

Gold balloons decorated the hall and items worked by Creative Fibre members were on display showing the many ways the group works with fibre.

Area delegate Vicki Browne spoke of her fibre journey and how by taking the opportunity to do correspondence courses available to members of National Creative Fibre, she completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Kaetaeta Watson, originally from Kiribati and now living in Whiritoa, was the main speaker.

Kaetaeta is an award-winning and nationally acclaimed master flax weaver who is passionate about sharing and passing on the skills she has. She spoke of life on Kiribati, then and now - about her upbringing and how the art of weaving played a huge part in everyday village life using the natural fibres from plants and grasses around the island.

Kaetaeta's schooling took her off the island and away from her home where she learned alongside hundreds of students instead of just a few and was initially not familiar with the language.

"Some of the pieces of weaving she had to show us had age-old traditions attached to them and others were of her own design and techniques," says Cherry Estcourt. "We never stop learning."

The high-tea lunch used fabulous china teasets resurrected from display cabinets and cupboards in Whangamata.

They say it was "the best decision ever" to ask the Whangamata Patch and Quilt Group to cater.

"The selection of canapes, hors d'oeuvres and the like, artistically and literally tastefully arranged on two-tiered china stands, delighted everyone. Olive Jay Cakes, Whangamatā, made the beautiful celebratory cake."