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About Te Rito o Rotowhio
“Ko te taura whiri, he whiri i te tangata – The flax fibre cord is like the cord that connects people”
The original weaving school – Te Whare Raranga – was established in 1969, shortly after the carving school. It was run by New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute’s first employed weaving tutor, internationally renowned weaver, Emily Schuster (QSM, OBE).
Te Rito, named after the baby shoot at the heart of the flax bush, was built in 1994. At this school, male and female students have the honour of learning traditional Māori weaving techniques, as taught by experienced tutors.
Tauira (students) within Te Rito learn the art and skills of traditional weaving, upholding the Māori tradition for future generations.
Course Information
An exclusive range of weaving programmes are on offer to male and female applicants 18 years and over.
In the past, the chance to learn the art of Māori weaving was only offered under strict conditions. Today, the protocol has been relaxed somewhat.
Through the NZMACI Act (1963) history the Institute has the ability to award tohu (qualifications) to any person having special training in Māori arts, crafts or culture. The ability to independently recognise and confer qualifications remains a unique attribute of this organisation to this day.
This tohu is for 2 years and is 40 hours per week, 47 weeks of the year.
Study Programme
Tauira are immersed in the wisdoms of te wharepora, the house of weaving. They will experience a range of foundational techniques immersed in tikanga, in a unique learning environment as part of a time honoured legacy.
Each programme offers a different opportunity to learn, appreciate and be a part of maintaining the Māori art of weaving.
Tauira are taught:
- Materials used in traditional weaving
- Karakia
- How to weave:
- Tuwhara
- Kete whakairo
- Taniko
- Pueru Māori
- Maro
- Kete Muka
- Whariki
- Piupiu
- Turapa
- Once tauira have a sound understanding of how to weave these pieces, they will then move on to developing and refining their skill set.
Meet The Kaimahi
Cori Marsters has come from being Kaiako Raranga at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and has a Bachelor Degree in Māori Art, Maunga Kura Toi (Raranga). He was drawn to weaving initially as he was embraced and nurtured by his nan and many others in mahi raranga and whatu.
Marsters knows the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute well, having been a tauira (student) himself in the 37th intake for Whakairo Rākau (wood carving) graduating in 2012, then going on to become a Matanga Whakairo (commission carver) afterwards.
He has exhibited weaving locally, nationally and internationally, including at the Spirit Wrestler Gallery in Vancouver. In the 2016 Creative New Zealand Te Waka Toi Awards, Marsters was awarded the Ngā Manu Pirere, Emerging Māori Artist Award and in the same year one of his kete was used for a New Zealand stamp in the Matariki collection.
Amanda is a Pouako – Te Rito (Tutor at the National Weaving School). Amanda holds multiple BA and postgrad degrees, a previous teacher for Te Wānanga-ō-Raukawa, and weaving tutor at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
She was fortunate to be raised within a Wharepora and named (Mandē) Rongomaiwahine. Amanda is a passionate Kairaranga, her foundations contributed from a legacy of weavers within her whānau, hapū and iwi.
Amanda acknowledges all the privileges, teachings, and contributors from multiple kairaranga, kaumatua over the years (including Meleta Bennett) who have had a profound impact to her knowledge base.
Amanda continues to promote the importance of Te Ao Māori within education and balances the duality of her skills between upholding traditional practices and exploring contemporary practices.
Amanda is a reflection, of all the knowledge, investment and contributors that have come before her.
I'm considering study at The National Weaving School
Application for NZMACI
Applicants must be of Māori descent, female or male and 18 years old or over. You must be able to demonstrate a competency in Māori art and/or design and have an ability and willingness to interpret and understand the theory component of this qualification. To maintain the standard and quality of our graduates, places are strictly limited.