Cloak

A kahu kiwi (feather cloak) made with a foundation of muka (processed New Zealand flax), from which small bundles of brown kiwi feathers are attached. Rolled light and dark border at top, borders of loops of red, blue, and green wool around sides and bottom, which also has a narrow band of black tāniko in a zigzag pattern.

The kahu kiwi is a cloak adorned entirely with kiwi feathers. These cloaks are made by carefully attaching thousands of feathers from kiwis to a finely woven muka (flax fiber) base. Each feather is bent and woven into the weft rows using a method similar to that used in rain capes, with the feather shaft folded back on itself to hold it securely in place. The process is incredibly time-consuming and requires immense skill and patience.

Each kahu kiwi is a taonga (treasure), worn during significant events, serving as a powerful symbol of whakapapa (ancestry) and mana (power).