Whiria te tangata: Understanding the importance of traditional clothing making
In this innovative project, Associate Professor Hinekura Smith (Te Rarawa, Ngā Puhi) of Pūrangakura Māori Research Centre will work alongside communities to explore the considered practice of traditional clothing making, and how it can contribute to positive Indigenous futures
Published on 7 Whiringa-ā-rangi November 2024
For centuries, traditional Indigenous clothing from Aotearoa, Australia and the Pacific has been collected, catalogued and classified by early ethnographers intent on documenting ‘dying’ cultures and practices. However, this approach has often overshadowed the true significance of traditional garments ‒ as vibrant cultural expressions that weave together history, identity, and community.
In this Marsden Fund Fast-Start project, Associate Professor Smith seeks to address this imbalance by shedding new light on traditional clothing making as a vital contributor to mental, spiritual and cultural wellbeing. Rather than simply viewing handmade textiles as exotic artifacts, this study will reveal the profound importance of traditional clothing making in transmitting knowledge, preserving traditions and fostering connection among communities.
Taking centre stage in this research project are the women working at revitalising practices of traditional clothing making today. As they create culturally generative garments, they simultaneously regenerate community activism, and pass on stories of language, culture, and identity.
As a weaver for over 25 years, Associate Professor Smith is herself embedded in the fibres of this work. Through wānanga, workshops, and interviews, this practice-based research will generate new knowledge that will inform education, research, and wellbeing policies to enable Indigenous communities in Aotearoa, Australia, and the Pacific to thrive through their own cultural practices.
Associate Professor Hinekura Smith (photo supplied)