A Korowai Achievement

It has been a little while since I posted my last blog and I must admit, it has been a very busy few weeks for me.  As I sit on my side porch looking out on the Ponderosa on this very humid summers day, I am grateful for this opportunity to reflect and I am reminded of my aunty who asked me recently what my next blog would be about.  My thoughts are instantly drawn to my mum and her passion for korowai.

For the past 16 years, my mum has been helping people overcome their personal adversity through teaching the art of korowai.  Her teaching journey began when she worked for Maori SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and was overcome with great sadness for the many whanau she dealt with who lost their babies so suddenly.  She began simply by providing a korowai for the grief stricken families which unintentionally lead into teaching the art. From there her students have grown.

It's not my place to share all of my mum's own personal journey, but I am proud to say I am one of her students.  I blogged about my initial journey in MY KOROWAI JOURNEY and like all her students, I know that with a new korowai comes a new story.  A new journey.

I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of mum's students over the years and they truly are a wonderful network of people.  They all understand that weaving a korowai is a huge accomplishment which should not be taken lightly.  They  have all experienced that great sense of pride on it's completion, and more importantly have gained the knowledge of our ancestors so that the art will continue to thrive long after we have all left this world.

One thing I can say is that every two years, mum holds a Korowai Ball in recognition of her students who have completed their own korowai during that period.  The evening is a time to celebrate as a consolidated network with friends and whanau and admire the beautiful korowai.

This years event was a huge success!  I was overwhelmed to see mum's weavers come together and make the event so beautiful.  I was particularly happy for the graduates who were buzzing with excitement leading up to the event, and seeing them showcase their korowai with  friends and family with such pride.  Every single korowai had it's own story to tell and it truly was special to be a part of that experience with all the weavers.

2014 Korowai Ball - A snapshot of some of the weavers with their korowai

I can't help but ponder on what the next two years will bring for mum and her weavers, but one thing is clear.  Her passion to pass on her knowledge to her students so that they have a korowai for future generations remains paramount for my mother.

My mum wearing one of her own korowai

Who knows, one day I may choose to weave another korowai or I may not.  All I know is that it's not race and it's not a competition.  When or if I choose to do another korowai will be based on a part of my life, when the time is right.  Until then, I will continue to sit and admire my korowai, which sits front of place in my lounge.

Happy living people!