Tairiiri (Fan)

Tairiiri. Fan. Composite tairiiri woven from kikau ou (young coconut leaf) attached to a mauranga (handle) rakau (wooden) with overlaid dyed-orange apuraka (giant swamp taro) akamanea (decoration) on one side. The blade is in the shape of an inverted triangle. Plaited commencement at the centre base. Leaflets are split in half, separating kikau (leaf) and kata (midrib) and woven outwards in finer check. Top edge of one side of the blade is overlaid with diagonal dyed-orange strips of apuraka in sets of two. All edges of the blade have a subtly patara (serrated) effect from the weaving. Top edge is flat. Natural colour. Faces of the blade are not identical. Blade is attached to a mauranga rakau of light brown colour and lashed at the centre base of blade with 19.5 mm of twine lashing.