Diggeress Te Kanawa

 

"I am fortunate to have had the tuition and guidence of my wonderful mother, Rangimarie Hetet, and the encouragement of my late father, Tuheka Taonui Hetet, who persuaded me from the age of nine to watch and learn all I could from my mother." Diggeress Te Kanawa, one of the most prestigious weavers in New Zealand, has worked all her life to support and promote the arts of raranga, whatu, and taniko. She inherited her knowledge and skills from her mother, Dame Rangimarie Hetet, and other local kuia, and is an expert in all facets of the practice and production of weaving. Since the 1950's, Diggeress has worked with her mother to retain and foster traditional weaving practice in New Zealand. She has provided inspiration for many weavers and contemporary artists by sharing her knowledge and skills, and has worked as a conservationist and educationalist, protecting traditional weaving materials and techniques. In 1988 Diggeress and Emily Schuster studied weaving collections (containing taonga from last century) in museums in Britain and the United States, gathering information about past weaving styles and methods. In 1992 Diggeress published her first book, 'Weaving a Kakahu'. Diggeress lives in Oparure, five miles south of Te Kuiti, and works at the Ohaki Marae, a communal centre where she runs regular weaving wananga.

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