Once exported by the tonne, harakeke, or flax, is finding new life in the hands of Māori artists like Anna Hayes-Moeau, whose WOW win marks a shift in how we value Toi Māori or Māori Art.
Model Mollie Gardiner wearing ‘Ko au ko harakeke, ko harakeke ko au’ – WOW images by World of WearableArt Ltd.
Anna Hayes-Moeau’s winning garment at this year’s World of WearableArt is called Ko au ko harakeke, ko harakeke ko au. The phrase translates as ‘I am harakeke and harakeke is me’. It is a proverb often adapted in Māori culture to describe the strength of connection in Te Ao Māori, the
