I was out wandering with my camera last weekend (here in Christchurch) when I chanced upon
an antiques fair. I paid my $5 entry fee and went in for a look about. There’s nothing I like better than poking about investigating other people’s old cast-offs and I’m always intrigued by the people as much as I am by the goods for sale. This fair was mostly collectible china, silver, jewellery and such; but there was also
a huge sale of old books – and I’m nothing if not compulsive when it comes to books. There were at least twenty I wanted but I was most interested in
the good-sized selection of old books on things Maori. There were some beauties but most of them were too expensive for me. I did however weaken and I got three – on Maori art, architecture and traditions.
I think I might have started a new collection.
Maori dolls have been around for decades and many of the early ones are now fetching excellent prices in antique and secondhand stores. Many of the new versions - like many Maori items now found in contemporary gift stores - are not even made in New Zealand much less by Maori but these ones (I think) are. I rather like them - especially their little harakeke piupiu (flax skirts) and their taniko bodices. They're made by a company called Aroha but I've yet to find out much about them, or where they're based.
