Kākahu (Māori Cloak)
The kakahu is the woven cloak of the Maori, made from the muka fibre of the flax plant and covered with the down, feathers and tags of native birds, and worn as a cloak of rank and prestige. The weaver prepares the flax fibre, spins and dyes it, and weaves the body of the cloak on a small loom, then decorates it with feathers of kiwi, kaka, huia and other birds, or with tags of dog skin and fibre. The finest cloaks, such as the kahu kiwi, were made over months and were worn by chiefs on great occasions, and each cloak carries its own name and history. The black-feathered korowai with hanging t