New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

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Extraction, content, strength, and extension of Phormium variety fibres prepared for traditional Maori weaving

WARWICK HARRIS

Landcare Research
P.O. Box 69
Lincoln, New Zealand

Present address: Lincoln Botanical, 27A Edward Street, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand.

MAIREHAU TE UA ANI WOODCOCK-SHARP

Landcare Research
P.O. Box 69
Lincoln, New Zealand

Present address: Pukekohe North School, Princes Street, Pukekohe, New Zealand.

Abstract  The traditional haro method was used to strip fibres from the leaf blades of 11 Phormium varieties used by Maori for traditional weaving and plaiting. The content, strength, and extension characteristics of fibres differed markedly among the varieties. These fibre characteristics also differed according to the part of the leaf blade from which the fibre was extracted. Although strong correlations showed that varieties with high fibre content also had the strongest and most extendable fibre, some varieties deviated from those relationships. The fibre characteristics of the varieties correspond to their traditional uses by Maori and also to their history of use in the now defunct commercial phormium-fibre industry.

Keywords  Phormium tenax; P. cookianum; harakeke; wharariki; New Zealand flax; ethnobotany; Maori weaving varieties; fibre extraction; fibre content; fibre strength; fibre extension

B99042
Received 9 August 1999; accepted 4 February 2000

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (1273K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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