| Native Name | Kaitaka |
| Object Number | P2673 |
| Current Location | Collections Storage |
| Culture | Maori |
| Provenience | New Zealand |
| Period | Te Huringa I Period |
| Date Made | 1800 - 1900 CE |
| Section | Oceanian |
| Materials | New Zealand Flax |
| Description | A kaitaka (cloak) made of muka (processed New Zealand Flax). The cloak is missing the top and middle. There is a broad tāniko border with a diamond motif. There are narrower strips of tāniko along the sides. The kaitaka is a Māori cloak renowned for its fine, silken texture. Made from muka (processed flax fiber) extracted from specially selected varieties of harakeke (New Zealand flax), the kaitaka has a distinctive golden sheen. These cloaks are typically large, designed to wrap around the wearer multiple times. The characteristic feature of a kaitaka is its tāniko borders, bands of intricate, multi-coloured geometric patterns woven along the sides and bottom edges. |
| Length | 254 cm |
| Width | 107 cm |
| Credit Line | Purchased from W. O. Oldman; Subscription of Herbert L. Clark in memory of Edward W. Clark, 1911 |
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