Spirit Wrestler Gallery (Vancouver, Canada)

Poi Tāniko — Te ngau a Hine Raumati


  • Medium: muka (New Zealand flax fibre), kōkōwai (dyes)
  • Size: 3 × 2.75 × 2.75 inches (excl. tassels and 15-inch cord)
  • Reference Code: K100603

“The emergence of poi tāniko is significant in that it demonstrates a more personal desire to explore the potential of the weaver to create and where the challenge is in the shaping. The challenge with each creation comes with adding in weft threads to shape or placement of insertions as a means of working towards perfecting the design. The colours are simple; the dyes come from our native trees and waterways”. (Excerpt from Taku Manu Hokahoka)

Karl Rangikawhiti Leonard

Karl Rangikawhiti Leonard


Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Raukawa

(1964- )

“I shrug off the suggestion that I’m a ‘purist’ when it comes to my work. Nor would I say that the work I produce is 100 per cent traditional. Rather I try to ensure that the integrity of the piece is compromised as little as possible. For example, why use the traditional method to extract and spin muka fibre when you are going to use a synthetic dye to colour it? Why not just create it purely out of synthetically prepared and dyed fibres? I find synthetic dyes an intrusion and not an enhancement to my work. When we stop using our traditional dyes, we lose a whole knowledge system. Besides keeping the art of dying and weaving processes present today, it keeps the art relevant so that it looks like it belongs in the home instead of the museum.”