about RIWA
RIWA
Harakeke Artist & Kaiako
Manager - Horowhenua Team
Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Waiapu te awa
Ko Horouta te waka
Ko Te Horo te marae
Ko Ngāti Porou te iwi
Ko Maria Wawatai taku ingoa
Ko Riwa ahau
Maria "RIWA" Wawatai is a New Zealand artist, from painting to weaving, and loads in between, her forte being Toi Māori Raranga (Māori Art of Weaving).
I have been weaving wahakura since 2013, when I attended a wānanga at Te Kokiri in Levin, whilst studying my Diploma in Toi Māori Raranga.
During the final year of her degree, she was the proud recipient of the Aotearoa Scholarship Trust's "Dr Diggeress Te Kanawa Memorial Award for 2015. After graduating Maunga Kura Toi (Raranga) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Riwa started teaching "Raranga for Pēpe" courses and Wahakura Rīwā (her version of wahakura) Weekend Wānanga. From these wānanga, she started to build her TEAM of kairaranga supplying Wahakura Rīwā to the Hawkes Bay DHB from 2017.
art by RIWA's Production Team currently supply to several DHB around te motu, and are always looking to increase their team.
I love making wahakura and what it gives to our pēpe and their whanau. Even more-so since I became a Nanny in 2019.
2015 Winner
of the AST Dr Diggeress
Te Kanawa Memorial Award
AWARDS
art by RIWA Ltd was a finalist for the Aotea Region Award at the 2022 MWDI Māori Business Women Awards
art by RIWA Ltd was a finalist for the Emerging Business Award at the 2019 MWDI Māori Business Women Awards
One of 3 finalists for the Emerging Business Award, art by RIWA Ltd was so proud to get this far. This category had the most applicants of all the categories
"I would highly recommend applying for awards like these. It made me look at my business from different angles, and what I really need to focus on over the next 12 months", said Riwa, owner of art by RIWA Ltd. "It was also great meeting the other finalists, learning about their businesses, and where they're heading too".
art by RIWA Ltd is a finalist for the
Electra 2023 Kāpiti Horowhenua Business & Innovation Awards
meet our TEAM
ANNIE
Te Moana-a-Toi (Bay of Plenty)
Kia ora (Hello)
It is my great pleasure to have woven your Wahakura Rīwā, and help support your pēpe (baby) in safe sleeping.
NIKI
Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawkes Bay)
Kia ora.
I have been weaving for some years and have a great passion for it. When I heard about the weaving class for wahakura with Riwa, I hopped on board to learn at her wānanga, and enjoyed everything about the Wahakura Rīwā.
It took a while to get the technical aspect of it, but am now enjoying weaving with the other girls who are in this roopū.
LINDA
Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawkes Bay)
I am proud to be part of the team to create your wahakura. I love weaving Wahakura Rīwā and am passionate about supporting your baby to sleep safely with you. I hope you get a lot of enjoyment from your Wahakura Rīwā, and it has a long life with you and your whānau!
HEMOATA
Waikato
Kia ora koutou katoa.
I wanted to learn how to make a wahakura and my cousin Annie was already involved with Riwa and put me in contact with the On-line Covid-19 Wahakura Wānanga. I was hooked. I then asked Riwa if I could join her Wahakura Team and was honoured to be accepted.
I love making Wahakura Rīwā. Each one has their own unique whakapapa as to where the flax was harvested, who harvested the flax and also the whakapapa of the kairaranga.
I hope your whānau enjoy and love using the wahakura just as I have had the privilege of creating it for you. The pleasure is mine.
Arohanui!
KIRI
Horowhenua
Tēnā koutou
I am the eldest daughter of one of the other weavers Annie Tauiwi. I'm a full-time solo mother to my beautiful boy, Te Aumangea. My main employment, as the Kaiwhakahaere Hāpai Kaupapa (Special Projects Manager) at Te Wānanga o Raukawa, keeps me extremely busy but in my downtime (when I find it) is spent weaving Wahakura Rīwā. I have not been weaving Wahakura Rīwā for long (September 2020) but have picked up the skill and artform with ease and I often find it therapeutic.
Our babies are taonga (gift) and it has been a privilege to be able to weave Wahakura Rīwā to support safe sleeping, but to also think that as parents we too can get the rest we need knowing our babies are safe.
Ngā manaakitanga, kia au te moe pēpe.
RATAHI
Horowhenua
Ko Whakapunake tōku maunga
Ko Hangaroa tōku awa
Ko Takitimu tōku waka
Ko Te Reinga tōku marae
Ko Ngati Hinehika tōku hapū
Ko Ngati Kahungunu tōku iwi
I started weaving in 2019 with Te Wananga o Aotearoa Palmerston North and joined art by Riwa in January 2021.
Weaving became my passion and in 2022 I left my fultime job to follow my dreams and weave. These hand crafted gifts are made with love and respect for both the beautiful art of Māori weaving, and with māmā and pēpe in mind.
As a mother of seven living in the Horowhenua I understand what it means to want to protect our babies.
Browse our site for a unique gift for you or someone else made by our wonderful team. Help us support environmentally friendly handmade products.
KAREN
Taranaki
Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Waiapu te awa
Ko Ngāti Porou te iwi
No Turanganui-A-Kiwa te kaianga
Ko Kenneth Alan Clark toku pāpā
Ko Maraea Te Iritawa Clarl nee Taiapa toku mama Kei Tikorangi/Taranaki ahau naianei
Ko Duncan Waipapa toku hoa rangatira
Ko Tahi Waipapa taku tama
Ko Karen Clark ahau
Born in Gisborne, I came to Taranaki as a teenager. I have been weaving for over 25 years and have a Diploma in Maori Art which I got through 3 years of studying raranga at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
I have been trading as KareNZ Kitz, selling Harakeke Art and Craft at markets and teaching raranga from home until Sep 2017 when I opened KareNZ Kitz Art Gallery and Studio in Waitara.
I am very happy to be a part of the Wahakura Rīwā team. I feel proud to be a part of the support and knowledge sharing that happens when Māmā receives a Wahakura Rīwā. These are wonderful tāonga and the messges help to prepare whānau expecting a pēpe.
MISSY
Taranaki
I am glad to be part of such an amazing team of wonderful weaver's.
I love everything about Wahakura Rīwā and I love that we are weaving to support safe sleeping for our pēpe and whanau.
I hope you enjoy your Wahakura Rīwā.
Made with love from all of us to you xx
RARAMAI
Te Waipounamu
Te Tai o Poutini
Ko Tutumapou te Maunga
Ko Te Hoiere the Awa
Ko Te Hoiere te Waka
Ko Ngati Kuia te Iwi
Ko Kaikaiawaro te Taniwha
Ko Matua Hautere te Tangata
Ko Waihaere te Tipuna
Ko Raramai ahau
It's great to be a wahakura weaver and part of this team. I live at the top of the south island in the tiny remote town of Karamea, surrounded by harakeke. I'm always learning about the many uses of the plant and other natural fibres in my environment.
I was an adult the first time I wove harakeke but I had a distinct feeling of déja vu, like I had woven with it in the past. I was pretty much hooked from there. I love the connection to the earth and I love being involved in making Wahakura Rīwā for the next generation.
This could be YOU!
Aotearoa
Info coming soon ...
or YOU!
Aotearoa
Info coming soon ...
or YOU!
Aotearoa
Info coming soon ...
join our TEAM
Would you like to join our TEAM?
As the need for wahakura grows, so does our team. We are always on the lookout for kairaranga to join us, and help us meet demand from DHB and Hauora roopū around Aotearoa.
If this sounds like something you would like to become a part of, please register your interest below:
You have to learn how to weave first. You need to find someone locally to learn how to weave or they can do the beginner course
Thank you for submitting page: All the best finding a local raranga roopū to start your raranga journey. Please click the button below to search for a local group!
To be able to complete a Wahakura Rīwā, it is best to learn how to weave with smaller items, before learning this. There are many local groups that offer beginner courses, as well as Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in certain regions. Art by RIWA offer occassionally offer a Raranga for Pēpe course at our studio in Horowhenua. We also offer the same course online.
Thank you for your time
Where did you learn raranga?
What regions would you be prepared to travel to:
If you're wanting to complete your training before a wānanga is available in your chosen rohe (regions), click here to go to our Wahakura Rīwā® Online Training Programme
OR
Click to Submit
You need to learn "Raranga for Pēpe Course" - this full course will include:
- Harakeke - How to harvest and prepare FREE
- Project 1 - Whāriki Iti (small mat) $25
- Project 2 - Whāriki Whakawhānau (birthing or change mat) - still to make video $25
- Project 3 - Konae (traditional 2-cornered container - base) $25
- Project 4 - Konae (contemporary 2-cornered container - lid) $25
- Project 5 - Kono (traditional square container - base) - still to make video $25
- Project 6 - Kono (contemporary square container - lid) $25
- Project 7 - Konoroa (rectangle container - base) - still to make video $25
- Project 8 - Konoroa (rectangle container - lid) - still to make video $25
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