Manu is one of the artisans representing the CookIslands at the 13 th Pacific Arts Festival and Culture in Honolulu, Hawai’i,attracting customers to her stall filled with beautiful and creative crafts. Her pare (hats) are so popular that she’s kept busy,even waking up in the early hours of the morning to create more items for herstall. Manu learned the art of making fibre from ava from hermother, who in turn had inherited the skill from her own mother, RongomakiVaine Nooapii Manu.
Although she has managed to pass on her knowledge ofmaking the sought-after fibre cloth to one of her daughters Rose, Manu says sheis saddened that many of the younger generation have no interest in learningthe dying art and continuing its production. “Te ngaro nei teia tareni,” says Manu. “I teia taime eAtiu, kare e nui ana te mapu i te inangaro i te kite i te maani i teiaangaanga.
” “Te akaroa i te uki o teia ra. “The talent I have is from my grandmother Teio AtuaTerangi o Tangaroa (U’a Takamoa), it was passed on to my mother, then to me,and now to one of my daughters, Rose. I am blessed she has an interest in it.
” While growing up, Manu would watch her mother create herAva pieces. At the age of nine, she started cutting out her own flower shapeson paper. Manu is also skilled in sewing tivaivai tataura andtivaivai manu – the intricate needlework art pieces that are passed down as heirlooms,and sews ei and ei katu for orders.
She is always busy on her home island meeting orders.