cloak
- Museum number
- Oc1854,1229.133
- Description
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Cloak (kaitaka) of the patea type, made of New Zealand flax fibre, tui feathers and wool. Taniko border along the bottom and narrow bands at both sides.
- Production date
- 19thC (before 1854)
- Dimensions
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Length: 143.50 centimetres
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Width: 206 centimetres
- Curator's comments
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Cloak, kaitaka. Patea, with taniko borders and feather and woollen ornamentation. Commencement is with narrow plaited band at upper edge. Weaving is in double-pair twining with narrow taniko bands on each side and 22 cm-wide taniko border at bottom, which is woven in black and a variety of browns, with some red wool and a single small triangle in green; pompoms are an unusual addition on the black areas at each end of taniko. Garment shows early appearance of ngore-type pompoms of red wool, which are attached with dark fluffy feathers (placed upwards) to body of cloak. There are two areas of shaping, one close to top, one at bottom; both consist of five short wefts.
Provenance: Grey Collection. Comments: Early nineteenth century. Addition of pompoms and feathers is early experiment into decoration of traditionally plain surface on fine cloaks; also suggests link with pekerangi-type of cloak, where small groups of feathers are used as ornamentation (MP). See also comments for rain-cloak 1781 (1854.12-29.132). References: Blackman 1998: 76, fig. 9; Pendergrast 1996: 138; Roth 1979: 72, no. 18, figs 51 and 52, pl. ix, lower.
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In January 2019, the feathers on this cloak were examined by Hokimate Harwood of Te Papa Tongarewa National Museum of New Zealand, during a visit to London. Using a microscope she identified them as being tui feathers.
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Registration slip description, written in 1854?:
New Zealand
Cloak of woven fibre - the outer surface ornamented with tufts of ?kiwi featherts & red wool in a design at each side. Broad band with vandyke design along lower edge & a similar narrow one up each side.
79" x 56"
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Illustrated in D.C. Starzecka (ed), Maori : Art and Culture, London, British Museum Press, 1996, 1998, p.138, fig. 101
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
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Exhibited:
1998 27 Jun-1 Nov, London, BM, Maori
2006-2007 28 Sept-7 Jan, London, BM, Power and Taboo
- Acquisition date
- 1854
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Oc1854,1229.133