Maori Basket
“When I moved to Skipton in 1991 I was delighted to find, in the Oxfam Shop, this basket. Shortly after on a visit to the Museum of Mankind, now in the British Museum (London), I was more examples of these small “kete”s or also known as “kete whakairo” from New Zealand. The woven structure is achieved through plaiting using New Zealand flax or pingao grass. The colours may be a combination of natural grass and natural or synthetic dyed grass. An owner takes care of the basket out of respect for the maker and it is used for carrying personal belongings. I have always enjoyed having the basket in my studio and since one of my fashion shows in 2006 (inspired by my Turkmenistan trip) I have kept the woollen plaits I used for the models in this beautiful basket.”
Joan Murray