Aunty Doe and Nanny Mū - The Weavers - Ngā Ringa Toi o Tahu

Reihana Parata (QSM), and Morehu Flutey-Henare are two extraordinarily gifted and humble Ngāi Tahu wahine, with a shared passion and a long-standing creative partnership. Tohunga in the practice of weaving, they have dedicated their lives to keeping the tradition alive through their huge body of work and passing on their knowledge to others. Using the traditional techniques passed down through the generations coupled with the inspiration for patterns they find in nature and their own artistic interpretation, their distinctive work is highly sought after.

In 2015 they were commissioned to create 13 Whairiki patterned paving stones as one of the anchor projects for the Christchurch Recovery Plan. Ngā Whāriki Manaaki, depicts the progression of a traditional pōwhiri using the patterns traditionally used for weaving floor mats and creating templates that could be laid using coloured paving stones.

"They used to say there are no Māori in Christchurch."