Ancient Maori war cloak returns to Auckland – History

An ancient Maori war cloak, one of only five of its kind known to exist, has returned to Auckland, New Zealand, after decades in storage at Durham University’s Oriental Museum. It is the only one of five currently in New Zealand and will be on display at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The other four pieces are collected by other countries.

This cloak was called a “pauku” and was used by warriors to protect their bodies. It is woven with tightly wound single pairs of weft yarns wound into rows, then soaked in water, earth, or other materials to harden them. Warriors wrapped it around their arms, hands, or abdomen during close combat. The densely woven fabric, strengthened by post-processing, absorbs the impact of hard strikes and helps warriors deflect attacks. Like Alexander the Great’s linen cuirass and other textile armor, it was much lighter and more flexible than metal plate or chain mail, and in sunny climates it had the distinct advantage of not heating up like an oven.

The recorded history of pauku dates back to the 18th century, but the design dates back to the 17th century. It was loaned to Durham University Museum by the Trevelyan family in the 1960s and the loan was converted into a gift in 1971. It was preserved until Māori experts saw it there in 2017 and realized its rarity and cultural significance.

The distinctive feature of the pauku is its border, which includes intricate two-way tāniko technique and a black-on-black background design, achieved through an intricate dyeing process using paru (iron clay). This design is called wā pōkere and contains mātauranga [traditional knowledge] About the evolution of time. The black of Taniko represents the void from which the world emerges. This design and Tāniko technique have not been seen on kākahu (cloaks) in Aotearoa, New Zealand for 200 years.

On a five-year research and exhibition loan at Durham University’s Oriental Museum, the pauku will be held in the custody of Te Aho Mutunga Kore, our textile and fiber knowledge exchange center for Māori and Pacific communities. Te Aho Mutunga Kore will host pauku events and facilitate them for knowledge holders, creative practitioners and the public. The project will be directed by our Māori curatorial team and the museum’s tohunga weaving expert advisory group, Taumata Māreikura.