Toi Aro, Haumia Ki Te Aro
$35
Join Kura Hippolite to learn a basic Tāniko weave.
All materials will be supplied. Places are limited, so booking is essential.
About the artist
Kura Hippolite
Whitireia the maunga
Porirua te awa
Takapūwāhia te marae
Ko Ngāti Toa Rangatira te iwi
When I was only 15, my sister Hineira Solomon (Tuioti) wanted me to learn tāniko. She sat with me and gave me a book titled Tāniko Weaving. Between Hineira and the book, I began to learn.
Back then, I didn’t know many people who did tāniko. I made a belt for my dad, and when my uncles saw it, they asked me to make one for them too. Since then, I’ve made belts for my brothers, nephews, and others. Seeing them wear their belts gives me a real sense of pride in what I’ve accomplished.
One day, I got a call from my nieces who were at a wānanga learning tāniko. They said, “We need help, we’re the worst in the class!” They came to pick me up, and when I walked in, I told the tutors, “I’ll look after my two nieces, and you can look after the rest of the class.” I really enjoyed tutoring them, and they ended up back at my place working on their tāniko until early hours of the morning.
Not long after that, I was asked to teach tāniko weekly, and I agreed. Now, I teach classes twice a week. Teaching others and watching them be creative with their tāniko has been so rewarding.
One of the highlights was when my class was part of an exhibition. To see all the pieces displayed together was truly amazing.
