Maungarongo ki te whenua is a kakahu jointly woven by Whero Bailey, Mavis Hirini, Bana Paul, Moana Ngarimu, Roka Cameron and Ranui Ngarimu. The idea for a kakahu to be gifted to Toi Māori Aotearoa first arose at the Awhi Tikanga hui at Whangara in 2004 and followed the creation of the Aramoana muka kakahu by this group in 2005.
The kakahu is a panelled cloak with alternate panels of warm cream and rich russet whitau – dyed with tanekaka—forming the kaupapa. These colours flow through to the kurupatu at the neck. Doubled ‘v’ shapes of mawhitiwhiti detail each panel leading the eye down to the corresponding two-toned taniko band that encircles the remu above the long fringe. In front, the kauko are subtly highlighted with tieke feathers.
Maungarongo ki te Whenua was presented to Toi Māori Aotearoa at their Annual General Meeting at Apumoana marae in April 2006 and received by Waana Davis as the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.
This kakahu was proudly worn by Waana Davis in her role as Chair at many events, both nationally and internationally, to represent the collective effort underpinning the work of Toi Māori Aotearoa.
In 2019, the kākahu was worn by Trevor Maxwell, who was elected to continue Waana’s work as Chairperson of the Toi Māori Board after her passing in 2019, as part of Te Korowai o te Aroha at the Weavers National Hui, Ngā Hau e Wha marae in Christchurch.
