Tukutuku - Traditional Maori Art

Tukutuku panels are a traditional Māori art form. They are decorative wall panels that were once part of the traditional wall construction used inside meeting houses.

Tukutuku or arapaki is a type of ornamental weaving. It is used mainly to form the inside walls of wharenui (meeting houses). The tukutuku panels are placed between the carved wall slabs of the wharenui, and, like the carvings, convey a complex language of visual symbols. During Marae Week we used wooden, black panels with horizontal holes and weaved with coloured wool. We brought our mihi's to life through visual art. During these activities we learnt about Kowhaiwhai patterns, which are patterns that tell a story and each pattern has a meaning.