“Waiora and I were going out to Murray’s Emporium several times a week for felt and velcro.
“When Murray saw my hands, blistered from cutting out stars and crosses, he gifted the museum a pair of stainless steel sewing scissors that never need to be sharpened.”
Wholesaler Robinson opened his emporium to provide Whanganui shoppers with the cream of his stock.
He was happy to support the museum by offering discounts and finding supplies for the education programme.
Reweti said May and June were the busiest months of the year for the museum education team.
“Thousands of children come to the museum to learn about Matariki and Puanga,” she said.
“This year, I wanted to add a new and fresh ‘hands-on’ element to our education programme.”
The storyboard depicts the Sky Waka – Te Waka o Rangi that sails silently through the night skies.
“The captain is Taramainuku. He scoops up souls and keeps them safe in his waka all year round,” Reweti said.
“When the Matariki stars rise in the dawn skies, during the winter solstice, Taramainuku turns the souls into stars and releases them into the sky. They become ancestors.”
Each child attending is invited to pick a coloured koru or cross that reminds them of a loved one and place it in the waka.
Reweti said she first heard the story from her aunty Rangi Takarangi as an 8-year-old.
“My cousin and schoolmate had been killed in a tragic accident,” she said.
“My aunty told me not to worry, that my cousin was a star and that her ancestors were looking after her.”
Reweti said the storyboard had a star map that helped children find the Matariki stars.
“Kids are invited to interact with the felt board as much as they want to.
“Finding a tiny cluster like Matariki in a sky littered with a billion stars is impossible without a star map. Te Waka o Rangi is the star map.”
Each session ends with pohutukawa, the Matariki star that represents tupuna, ancestors.
“Waiora is such a talented artist and, with the beautiful materials supplied by Murray, we’ve been able to create something very beautiful - and touchable.”
Liz Wylie is a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. She joined the editorial team in 2014 and regularly covers stories from Whanganui and the wider region. She also writes features and profile stories.
