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Wānanga
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About The Weaving SchoolTe Rito (the Weaving School) has developed over a number of years to complement the practices of the Institute and to meet demand from its many visitors, including Māori. Initially woven items were produced by the guides. Under the leadership of Eranora Hetet and later Emily Schuster, the National Weaving School increased the number and range of training courses available to weavers throughout New Zealand. The courses became very popular and were either run in the community or at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute (Te Puia). Te Whare Raranga, built for weaving in 1988, was followed by a more permanent weaving house, Te Rito in 1994. Night classes in weaving were introduced in 2000, followed by a three-year course curriculum involving an introductory year followed by two years of elective programmes. Edna Pahewa (top centre), daughter of Emily Schuster, is now the Head of Weaving for Te Rito. The weaving school continues to offer community-based programmes alongside its core activity. Te Rito has been involved in many projects to develop cultural heritage assets for iwi (tribes), while building their cultural capital through training programmes, both on and off the Te Puia site. |
