Varietal differences and environmental effects on fibre extracted from Phormium leaves and prepared for traditional Maori weaving

The aim of the research was to determine varietal differences and the effect of growing conditions on fibre (muka) extracted from leaf strips of 12 weaving varieties of Phormium grown at nine sites in New Zealand. Fibre was extracted by the traditional haro method using either the sharp edge of a mussel shell or a knife. Notes were made on the ease with which fibre could be extracted and cleaned of other leaf tissue, and of visual and tactile assessments of the suitability of the extracted fibre for weaving. The lengths and weights of extracted fibre strands were measured. Varieties that stripped easily to provide muka for weaving were clearly distinguished. There were both well-defined and subtle differences in fibre qualities between the varieties discerned by the qualitative assessments. Both site and varietal differences were well defined for extracted fibre strand length and weight. Significant site x variety interactions for these quantitative measures indicated changes in the characteristics of varieties in response to environmental differences between sites. Relationships between Phormium leaf properties that define plaiting (raranga) and weaving (whatu) varieties were examined.