Edna Pahewa
Maori craft of weaving was her calling, and despite having other plans – it was going to be her destiny.
When a calling is in your blood – there can be no getting away from it. It finds you sooner or later. And for Edna Pahewa, having Aotearoa’s most renowned and talented weaver for a mother, meant the traditional Maori craft of weaving was her calling, and despite having other plans – it was going to be her destiny.
Collectors and followers of contemporary Maori Art will see Edna at work when she joins 160 other leading and emerging contemporary Maori artists, who have been invited to the biennial MAORI ART MARKet, held this year at Porirua City’s Te Rauparaha Arena on October 9, 10 and 11.
It will be the largest collection of contemporary Maori artwork ever assembled. More than 2000 items including paintings, jewellery, clay work, sculpture, carving, weaving, fashion, worth more than $3 million will be on sale direct from the artists and invited galleries.
Edna is head weaver at Te Puia, in Rotorua and the Chairperson of Te Roopu Raranga whatu o Aotearoa (the National Collective of Weavers). But her path to the top of her craft was not a straight one.
At the age of ten, her grandmother Ngatai would make Edna and twin sister, Dawn, sit down to learn the skills of weaving.
“She would shoo our mates away and we had to learn. Nanny told us we were old enough to contribute to the daily needs of the family – we were in a tourist area so we sold our goods to tourists. We didn’t really want to do it, and I didn’t realize at the time, but that sowed the seeds for what I am doing today. I didn’t know that weaving would become such a part of my life.”
“We made piupiu (dancing skirts), poi, and the odd kete; things the tourists wanted. And we had a strong whanau, and we were always making things, whariki (mats), kete, for our whare – our homestead marae. Arts and crafts were a big part of our lives.”
When she left school Edna went to Waikato Polytechnic where she did a secretarial course. Marriage and four children meant life in Tokoroa was busy and it wasn’t until the kids were off her hands and she was approached by various people – who knew of her proud lineage – to volunteer her skills as a weaver, that she picked up the threads of her early years.
“Our Mum, Emily Schuster, started the weaving school Te Puia in 1969 and my sister was head here too, until she passed away in 2002. I was here in the late 60’s but not teaching. I came back as a weaver to keep the pool of weaving going.”
Her mother had great status as a weaver and ambassador for Maori, but Edna was never willing to ride on her coat-tails; she will rarely tell people her maiden name.
Emily was elected chairperson when weavers started the national weaving body in 1983 (Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa) out of concern that craft was beginning to die.
“From their first hui of 300 to 400 people, they knew they needed to revive it to keep it alive for our people.”
Edna has travelled to the United States four times, and to Japan and the Pacific Islands – to connect with her peoples’ ‘indigenous cousins.’
“Mum would come back from all these places and I never thought that one day I would be travelling to those places too.”
“Emily had a great friend and colleague, Diggeress Te Kanawa, who recently passed away at age 89. The two were very close and travelled a lot overseas, always wearing their traditional cloaks. They would visit old cloaks in different museums to learn about other indigenous peoples’ techniques and to show the world their traditional weaving.”
“They saw similarities between other indigenous cultures and our Maori people – and the techniques are so similar. They have respect for the land, the water, the mountains – the same as Maori.”
Edna has broadened her own style since she began learning about other indigenous peoples’ techniques. One of her garments is decorated with shells from Seattle, collected when she was there with The Eternal Thread Exhibition. Over 40 Maori weavers toured North America for The Eternal Thread Exhibition in 2004.
“I have used the shells in my own work, because they were so highly valued by these people. They use them extensively in their weaving.”
Edna continues on with the eternal thread of her own heritage through her weaving, which will be on display at the forthcoming Maori Art Market in Porirua. She sees Maori Art Market as an opportunity for the public to view, and purchase, high quality work.
“Maori Art Market is about quality. You have to work up to this level. Some of our weavers are sitting there patiently refining their work – getting to the stage where they can show it at Maori Art Market. The Market is about that…refinement.”
“You have to remember we started as practical people. Weaving was done for a practical purpose. We made kits to use. That was important to our people back then.
So the practicality is still there, but it is now fine work that is selling. It is about getting to that level. When you get to that level, you can bring your work to Maori Art Market; but we don’t forget about the practicality side. It has to be good quality to last.”
This year the five National Weavers Committee members (who are elected by nomination) will be exhibiting their work, as well as demonstrating their techniques at Maori Art Market.
“It is us as a weaving group, not as individuals. We are representing the national body.”
Weaving was not something she intended to learn. Edna learnt it because she was made to; because of necessity. But it was in her blood all along.
“It was something I had to learn to survive, and it became something I enjoy doing.
Now….now it is my passion.”
Written by Freelance writer Linda George for immediate use, Tel 027 251 2622, (04) 976 9927. Supplied by Toi Maori on behalf of the MAORI ART MARKet or contact Iain Morrison Tel 04 473 7980 or 021 688 668.