FROM OUR COLLECTION: Silk Scarf - Kahu Huruhuru (peacock feather cloak)

 This beautifully rich coloured silk scarf has been created for the Auckland Museum's FROM OUR COLLECTION range. The design has been taken from a photograph of Kahu Huruhuru (peacock feather cloak), a cloak in the Auckland Museum's collection, dated circa 1915, from the Taranaki region.

Kahu huruhuru, woven feather cloaks, are some of the most prestigious garments worn by Māori. They are a tangible symbol of mana (prestige), a connection to tupuna (ancestors) and ancestral knowledge, qualities that are stitched into the fibres of these garments. From the mid 1800's until today, feather cloaks are worn as a sign of status, celebration and achievement.

Traditional muka (flax fibre) is extracted from the harakeke plant, rolled, then hand woven and delicately adorned with native bird feathers. With the introduction of different fibres and feathers to Aotearoa, innovation and resourcefulness brought about a new bicultural aesthetic in Māori cloak weaving. The introduced colour palettes inspired a new array of playful compositions and design as seen in this peacock feather cloak, which also features subtle abstract inflections of orange kea and brown pheasant feathers. These can be seen in the detail featured on the scarf, which in itself can be worn as a symbol of connection to Aotearoa.