As you can see from the pic, the tall plants are called u'a or paper mulberry trees. The bark is used to make siapo, or tapa cloth. I planted these trees two years ago because I couldn't source any in our local village.
This is one of my future projects: to learn how to make siapo, as I learned the art of weaving from my mother and from a couple of village women.
This is a tribute to my namesake, an artisan of siapo whose craft was lost in a generation when it could no longer be passed on; I have made it my mission to continue it.
Now, to harvest some pandanus that my parents grew for use on our communal land, and to keep weaving as I was taught this beautiful skill. This is another project I've recently started, to see how it can be dried and then be ready to take back to NZ with us.
It's truly been a blessing to be back on our fanua (land), to begin some renovations, with the help of my second cousin and his friends and family, to complete some projects, and to await the arrival of my brother and his wife from Australia, so we can continue our father's legacy in our ancestral village that he wanted to pass on to us.
To see the azure blues of the neighbouring ocean and the lush greenery and colourful flora on our fanua is such a blessing, to say the least. It's been so good to smell the ocean scent, to feel the warm, gentle breeze, it is 'home sweet home'.
Thank you, God, for this wonder-filled opportunity, may we never take it for granted...
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