Tairiiri (Fan)

Tairiiri. Fan. Composite tairiiri with blade woven from kikau ou (coconut midrib and leaf), dyed-red apuraka (giant swamp taro, Cyrtosperma merkusii) overlay and dyed-red kiriau (hibiscus fibre, Hibiscus tiliaceus fibre) akaververe (fringe) attached to mauranga (handle) rakau (wooden). The blade is in shape of an inverted triangle. Plaited commencement at centre base. Woven out in vertical twilled-3 from the centre to form lower edge and sides of blade. Weaving technique alters to a horizontal twill. Overlaid dyed-red strips of apuraka decorate the top of the blade, forming pa motu (islets) design (30mm wide). Top edge of blade is flat. Blade is attached to shaped mauranga and lashed at the centre base of blade with cotton thread. Mauranga, is carved from rakau puka (wood from the lantern tree).