Harakeke (flax)

He tohunga ō tātou tūpuna mō te āta mātaitanga. He mea whakamōhio i a rātou ngā raraunga mai i ngā mātaitanga i te manaakitanga o te...

Māori knowledge and methods are increasingly being incorporated into New Zealand’s conservation practices. In this story, we meet researcher Dr Priscilla Wehi who uses both mātauranga...

Seaweek is New Zealand’s annual national week about the sea. It is coordinated by the Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC) and includes...

Alison Ballance visits the National New Zealand Flax Collection at Lincoln where she meets ethno-botanist Sue Scheele and curator Katarina Tawiri to find out more about...

Māori have many traditional uses for harakeke (Phormium tenax) such as the making of traps and fishing nets and the weaving of whāriki (mats) and kete...

In the early 20th century, New Zealand’s flax industry was a significant money earner, supplying fibre for the world’s rope and linen trade, but the advent...

Rongoā is the traditional Māori healing system. Rongoā is a holistic practice that often includes using the medicinal properties of New Zealand native plants.