TĪAHO 24 TĪAHO 24
TĪAHO
Puāwai- this award is presented to our top junior (Year 9 and 10) designer. Named Pūāwai in reference to our whakatauakī
‘Ka puāwai te koru, ka puāwai te tangata’ (nā Regan Stokes) it refers to the blossoming of this student in their creative design and self- expression.
Kōrari- this award is presented to our top senior (Y11-adult) designer. Named Kōrari after the flower of the harakeke- commonly growing around puna (springs) as are our students at Te Puna Wai o Waipapa, while they are one of the final stages of growth of the harakeke, they also produce the seeds that nurture our future generations.
Kārohirohi- the award is presented to the top accessories designing. Kārohirohi refers to the shimmering on water- another connection to Te Puna Wai o Waipapa- as the adornments created will enhance the wearer.
Whakaihuwaka- This award is presented to the overall winner of our Tīaho Fashion Awards. Whakaihuwaka translates as the winner, supporter and advocate and also connects back to Te Tauihu o te waka- our student centre which was named by Kāi Tahu. We proudly present our whakaihuwaka- the leader of our waka riding the waves of our celebration of cultural diversity at Te Puna Wai o Waipapa.
My work represents the journey of my ancestors from England and Ireland across the seas to the patchwork Canterbury plains. In a nod to their early resourcefulness, it is made from recycled silver wire. The outer edge represents my parents and the number of curves represent each of my siblings, with the differing directions representing each parental combination of my blended family.
STORM REEVES
This pendant is inspired by all the Māori women in my whānau but most importantly, my Mum. Thanks to her I was fortunate enough to grow up in te ao Māori. Mum is the reason I have such a beautiful culture to share. I’ve incorporated harakeke features in the pendant and earrings as weaving is something Mum and I share together as a way to connect with our Māori culture.
Growing up opposite the beach we always had our faces in the rock pools, finding creatures and being mesmerized by the underwater gardens of seaweed, and the beloved popping of Neptune’s necklace. The golden sunlit strands and hypnotic movement still fascinates me today.
LEANNE LASSMAN
PIPPA MILLS
My Piece represents the people and activities that have had – and continue to have- an influence on me. A self portrait of cultural influences.
To communicate the idea that cultural influence is an ongoing phenomenon and that flow of ideas passing between people is continuous I created a circular flow around the piece.
Each curve is etched with a small icon representing: my English Father, a chemist who makes furniture, my Scottish Mother, a potter who grows nuts, my Texan Husband, an academic who likes to weld and me, a Kiwi musician who makes all sorts of things.
JALAN MCGRORY
I created a necklace based on the classic kiwi summer meal of fish and chips on the beach. This is an element of Kiwiana I feel a connection to and is a representation of all the small experiences that have shaped my life.
Memories of fish and chips felt additionally appropriate as a reflection on my culture, as the beach I remember having these meals on is bookended by historical European settler and Māori sites. A reminder of the greater context that continues to shape New Zealand’s culture.
JUNIOR SECTION AILSA DAVIS
I have chosen to represent my Scottish culture and a little bit of my English and Welsh culture. I represented my Scottish with the long sea blue skirt and the English with the blouse incorporating some Welsh with the long sleeves and a mix of all three with the corset. I have learnt a lot from this experience including just how hard it is to get everything done in a couple lessons a week. It was a fun experience for me and I really enjoyed seeing my progress
My cultural fashion design is inspired by my Dutch heritage. My design is to incorporate Dutch colors and flowers. I put a modern take on it to incorporate it into modern life. My mum’s family is from the Netherlands. I chose to do my Dutch heritage because I feel more connected to my Dutch heritage. The orange pants are the national color in the Netherlands.
YASMIN THOMPSON
AMIRA ABDULLAHI SALIM
Hello, my name is Amira, and my outfit is inspired by Saudi Arabia culture. I was born in Saudi, so i have seen a lot of women wearing different types and colors of abaya therefore today I’m wearing an abaya. The abaya is also a traditional garment worn by many women in certain cultures and holds deep cultural significance beyond its fabric and design. It’s also a modest clothing. When I was designing the abaya, I tried adding my own touches, like incorporating a skirt . My abaya represents Saudi heritage.
Hello, I am Jasmine, and this is the piece I have created. I have chosen to center my garments around my Thai culture. My mum gave me my Thai blood and I think the clothing there is so beautiful, which is why I chose my Thai side. Although I love the traditional fashion there, I decided to go with a more modern look with pants and a simple top. I decided to use red and gold materials because they symbolize good luck and fortune. The stripes on the bottom of the pants are made from traditional fabric from Thailand that my mum gave me. I really enjoyed making it and learnt so much in the process.
JASMINE DABINETT
Ko Tapuae-O-Uenuku te maunga
Ko Tai o Marakua te moana
Ko Takitimu te waka
Ko Ngã Tahu te iwi
Ko Ngãti Kuri te hap
Ko Takahanga te marae
Ko Anatuia Huffam-Mutu toku ingoa
Tena koutou, Tena koutou, Tena koutou katoa
Kia ora my name is Anatuia and i made this outfit using designs from my Māori heritage, i decided to do my Māori blood because i am proud of my culture. I like to represent my culture that is in my family from my dads side.
ANATUIA HUFFAM-MUTU
I was born in western Canada but I was unable to keep hold of any memories from my country. Because of this, I have always felt disconnected from where I was born and the family that lives there. For this garment, I wanted to connect with my ancestors and lighten the heavy traditional style of the Inuit. The fur from rabbit or hare was often used to insulate and add detail to Inuit gowns. I have always loved fur ascents on clothing, so I decided to use this detail but spin it slightly more to my style. I integrated it into my design by lining the base of the skirt and neckline of the poncho with dark striped faux fur. With the same material, I made a headdress similar to those originating from western Canada. I then swapped what would normally be a larger coat out for a lightweight, flowy poncho, sticking to my vision of a lighter design.
During this process, I improved my sewing skills whilst connecting to my roots. I’m delighted with my results for this class, and I feel I’ve explored a different side of my family’s history. I hope that others with Inuit origin choose to explore their rich culture so they can experience its beautiful and unique fashion and transitions.
DANIA SOHAYLA
The dress I made represents my Bengali heritage. In my culture, our traditional dress is a saree, which is a garment that women once wore throughout a day however, as time evolved so did fashion trends leading to a shift where saree became more of an occasionally worn dress. This is mainly because of the difficulties in the wearing process and the restrictions it puts on your movement. My dress is basically saree but with a bit of a modern twist. I made my dress in two pieces instead of one. My blouse and skirts are the same, but the saree is cut into two-pieces and draped over it. The rich color and decorations in my dress is also a representation of how rich my culture is. I have learned a lot of things as to how a dress is made i always thought making a dress would be hard but after doing my dress i don’t feel that way anymore. I found the process of making my dress exciting. I loved making my dress and designing it.
I have chosen to take inspiration from the beautiful blue and white colours from the Scottish flag as this is significant to the country and its history. This is represented by the maxi white skirt i have created along with the blue sweetheart neckline strapless top i have incorporated a beautiful lace tie to bring it together in the back. I have learnt that ideas change a lot when you are creating your outfit’s it’s kind of a just go with the flow and see where you land because theres no right or wrong ideas in the fashion world. I have found this process enjoyable but challenging at some times but I am grateful for this experience
DEMELZA WALKER
JARIUS PEDOFSKYT
My design represents the western African heritage that I got from My mum, I used a t-shirt and shorts as the base of my design. The main colours of my piece are yellow and gold, the yellow represents joy and happiness and the gold represents wealth and royalty. The two colours when used together shows my pride in my culture and the meaning of my heritage to me. Although I have never been there my goal in making this design was to show and connect to my culture more. One of my dreams is to visit my village in order to learn more about myself and proudly represent my culture. I hope that my design shows my love for my culture, I hope you like it!
I got my inspiration from my English culture. My outfit is inspired by Prince Williams. I chose to do my English culture because I feel more connected to my English heritage. I have never lived in the UK, but my mum did when she was like 15. I learnt lots of new ways to make clothes and experiment with new patterns and that making an outfit takes a few tries to get it right. My top is made from a nice fluffy green material that is good for cold weather. And my pants are made with a beautiful striped material.
JAXON FRANCIS
KIRA DAVIS
FAIZA MOHAMED ALI
My cultural is Somali and I have lived in New Zealand for about 2 years now. I am proud of my culture. This year I have chosen to use colours in the purple range and have made the light purple dress in a style I designed myself. The coat is styled on a traditional garment called abaya.
Part of who i am and who my family are is our love and passion for sports and being active. Ki o-Rahi is a place where i can be active, truly myself and enhance my hauora. My dress represents my love and passion for Ki o-Rahi and the pūrakau that demonstrates that to me sports is more than just a game. Some of the things that represent Te Ao Māori and Ki O Rahi includes, the 9 stars of matarki, the two suns, Ti Ara, the volcano they took Ti Ara in and my determination for sports and Ki O Rahi.
LILY RICHARDS
TILLY WARREN
Throughout the class I found myself having trouble connecting to my ancestry overseas, as I have grown up in Nz my whole life. Because of this I decided to connect with another part of my family history, the military. My dad was in the army for 9 years as well as my grandfather and great grandfather, who fought in WW1. I attend aircadets in wigram and look forword to it every week. I feel a connection to my ancestors through what i do, and it was important to me to express it in this outfit. The outfit is based on 1960’s corporate fashion and showcases a vest and dresspants very similar to what women in the military would have worn in that era.
I was born in England and spent the first 7 years of my life there, then I moved to New Zealand. I wanted to go with my English culture and make a spring tea party outfit. They usually wear beautiful dresses, but I changed it up into a more modern design by making my outfit a two-piece set. I chose the colour pink for most of my outfit, I also used white to even it out. The front piece of my skirt and top both have a white base and then a rose fabric over top. I used this rose pattern because roses bloom in England around March to June, which was mainly when I was sewing my outfit together. The English tea party dress sleeves are normally tighter, but I decided to do big flowy sleeves to make the outfit look more spring-like. I added a lot of lace to my two-piece to give it that same spring look that I was going for. During my time sewing, I have learned how to sew a zipper onto fabric correctly. I have also learned that lighter fabrics are mostly see-through, so I had to layer different fabrics for it to work. I have really enjoyed this process: from drawing my design to seeing it all come together when sewing. Overall, this has been a wonderful experience!
SKYE NEWSHAM
ARYA MURUGESH
My outfit is inspired by my German and Indian heritage. Because I’ve lived in New Zealand since I was born, I’ve never had much exposure to my culture, so I created something to feel closer to my ancestors. I made a German Dirndl blouse with the crisscross features of a Dirndl, which is a traditional folk dress worn for special occasions. The silver engraved buttons on the front are ones usually used on an actual Dirndl which makes it very special. I also decided to create a more modern look while also tying in my Indian ancestry. I made an underskirt which is a part of an Indian Sari, making it stand out with the bright purple fabric used reflecting the vibrancy of colour in India. To make a second layer, I used traditional Sari fabric from India and instead of draping it over the shoulder how it’s normally worn, I wrapped it around the underskirt for a more modern look.
The pieces are designed to be worn together, joining my Indian and German ancestry in an outfit that celebrates my two cultures combining them into one.
My cultural outfit is inspired by my British, Portugese and Chinese heritage. Instead of creating a costume with a traditional long skirt I considered the modern alternative and designed it with more of a business chic in mind. My look has certain attributes that contribute to the specific details you may find on a classic Portuguese outfit-, including colorful lace, ribbon, embroidered fabric, and gold embellishments. I incorporated my British heritage by designing a classic silk blouse with sheer flowy sleeves and lace detailing and I expressed my Chinese heritage through this beautifully crafted fabric I scouted that perfectly ties in all elements together.
I feel a real connection to this outfit for my culture comes from all different areas of the world. Since I have been in New Zealand for so long, it led me to forget the significant importance of what it means to appreciate your ancestry. I wish to share my heritage and highlight the aspects I love so much about my culture. This project has given me the opportunity to grasp the history of each garment and embody that into an outfit that reflects who I am as a person.
GABRIELA VIDEIRA GORDON
Hello, my name is Silvi, and this is my outfit for cultural fashion this year. My ancestors were Scottish and Irish and so I have reflected their culture through my design. I have created a top and skirt for my outfit because they are part of the traditional Irish clothing. I chose to layer my skirt to represent the abundance of hills and mountains that reach down to the sea in Scotland. The purple of my top represents the thistle, and the waistband of my skirt is made of some fabric from my Aunty and Uncle’s haberdashery store in Geraldine.
SILVI WITHELL
For my tiaho fashion, I have decided to make a Japanese ballgown I have made the skirt blue because it reminds me of the sky and the sea. I have made a white corset top and I have sewn on cherry blossoms on the corset. I have chosen a ball gown because I thought it would be different and special. I have also chosen the Japanese design because some of my ancestors are Japanese. I think the culture is so pretty and unique.
DONNA MARIE HALL
KEREANA JARDEN
Kareana Jarden (Ngāi Tahu) I was inspired to create this kahu huruhuru as an acknowledgement of my whakapapa Māori and to also learn the skills and technique required to make it. It was also made with the intention to gift it to my cousin for his upcoming 21st birthday. The kahu huruhuru is a modern spin on the traditional cloak while the dress was a more simple design that helps accentuate the complexity of the kahu. Throughout this process, I learnt a lot of new sewing skills, learnt how to harvest harakeke and extract muka. It was a lot of work and I also had a support from my whānau finishing the kahu. I am really proud of the final result.
For my Tīaho project, I chose to make an outfit inspired by the Scottish heritage from both sides of my family. I used tartan fabric as it stands for identity and a sense belonging in Scottish culture. The rest of the dress is white, which stands for peace and honest throughout the culture.
LEXI BROWN
TONI ENCINA
This dress is inspired by my Filipino heritage. As a Filipino born in New Zealand I’ve always felt slightly disconnected from my culture. Not knowing Tagalog and having to always guess what my family were talking about. So, when looking for inspiration for this dress I had to really dig deep into my family and cultural history. I learnt about Filipinianas, a traditional dress worn by Filipino women, which comes with many different styles, such as Maria Clara and Terno. With this, I incorporated Filipinianas with my own personal style. Representing my cultural roots with a blend of who I am as a person.
I have really developed my sewing skills in this process including learning how to sew zips and how to use the bigger overlocking machine. It was a really fun process - one of my favourite kete wana classes.
SENIOR SECTION PIE FRANCES
Embark on a whimsical journey with me as I unveil the enchanting tale behind my garment, a tale as captivating as a single snowflake dancing in the winter breeze. Picture this: about 200 delicate ice crystals, each with six sides, coming together to create nature’s intricate masterpiece— the snowflake. As it gracefully descends from the heavens, it transforms the world below into a magical, glittering wonderland, leaving a blanket of pure white beauty in its wake. And isn’t it marvellous that no two snowflakes are ever alike?
But let me take you back to where it all began, amidst the cozy warmth of a winter night in July 1980, when my uncle entered the world amidst a flurry of snowflakes in Wanganui. Fast forward to my childhood memories, where my mother’s tales of her snowy adventures in Canada filled my heart with wonder. Then, in the
midst of a grand snowstorm in August 2004, I arrived, followed by the epic Christmas Day birth of my little sister, Sammy, symbolized perfectly by the delicate snowflake. For me, the snowflake symbolizes more than just winter magic; it represents the unbreakable bond that connects our family of four. Inspired by the enchanting world of “Frozen” and infused with my own creative flair, I meticulously handbeaded the corset of my Tīaho garment, pouring over 300 hours and thousands of tiny beads into its creation.
So join me on this whimsical adventure, where every stitch and bead tells a tale of love, family, and the timeless beauty of nature’s most exquisite creation—the snowflake. Let’s dance in the flurry of joy and celebration, for in every snowflake, there’s a story waiting to be told.
JENNIFER MOULIN
Hi I’m Jennifer.
My chosen culture for my Tiaho garment is Dance culture. Dance has been a big part of my family’s history. I started ballet from a young age and ever since, I found a love and passion for dance. Dance represents Fluidity, freedom, energy and expression. I have also incorporated aspects of my heritage to my garment with the Northern Lights. My ancestors originated in Scandi-navia, which is one of the best places to view the Aurora Borealis. I wanted to replicate the layers of light by using an iridescent fabric and adding in layers to create extra movement. This garment feels exactly what culture means to me. It feels free and light and moves pre-cisely how it needs to.
Demeter, Goddess of nature and fertility. This garment is inspired by her and my love for nature. I personally don’t feel connected to any of my cultures, so I did a feeling. A safe place. I enjoy walks through nature, especially through Bottle Lake Forest. I love seeing nature and life around, mainly butterflies. Since young I’ve loved butterflies,
especially Monach butterflies. They are peaceful creatures that symbolize transformation, hope and rebirth.
I hope to inspire people with this garment and the nature and life put into it. As a way to show the beauty of it all.
My Swann family line inspired my Tiaho entry. I designed this outfit with my beloved great auntie Wendy in mind. Wendy emigrated from England to Christchurch as a young woman. She was traditional, fun, eccentric, and adventurous. The clean, formal outsider layer and corset represent the English formality of a Canterbury doctor’s wife. The wings and feathers represent the family name we shared and her love of the performing
Arts, ballet, and the orchestra. I wanted to make the garment reversible to symbolise her complex character. The yellow inside represents her sense of humour and love of life and learning. I chose a flower pattern to reflect her passion for the outdoors and gardening. Wendy loved! Op-shopping and this is something we did together. In her memory, I intentionally sourced fabrics and materials from the op-shop for this entry.
My final design reflects my culture by representing the gold mine which is near my dad’s house in Dobson, which is on the West Coast.
The elements of my design are a scooped neck, a gold bow on the right sleeve, a gold sequined strip on just below the middle of the dress and a bronze frill down the bottom of the dress.
The special feature include the sequined strip, the bronze frill and the gold bow.
The colour pallet is gold and black and I have chosen this because it represents the colours you would find in the mine.
Design description: the bodice is fitted to the gold sequined strip with a straight seam. The back has an invisible zip. I’ll add the frill down the bottom to not only make the dress longer, but to also make the bottom a clean finish. The pattern block I will need to draft is the dress block.
My design reflects my culture because it is inspired by the “lama saree”, typically worn by young girls/women in Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka. The elements of the design is a layered long saree like shirt which is ankle length. There is also a blouse which covers the upper body with white lace along the bottom. The special features include small pearls beaded onto the frill part of the blouse. There are also hooks on the cropped part of the blouse for easy removal. The colour pallet I have chosen is blue and white because these colours symbolize modesty in Buddhist culture.
Embroidery. The timeless practice used to decorate everything from pillows to handbags to clothes. A craft handed down through generations. A skillful way to personalise something. The process a labour of love and patience. Something I definitely needed! The cross of Dad’s jacket alone used 26 metres of thread!
The embroidery on the jacket is what my Dad wants as a tattoo one day, telling the story of who he is and how he came to be. The ship that brought our family here several generations ago; the ravens, Huginn and Muninn; our family crest, detailing who we were and what we valued; and the celtic cross, his journey of faith and the rock solid
foundation it’s given him.
My dress contains many smaller pieces, sewn wherever I was; the bus, school, home even at church during sermons. I selected drawings that meant something to me. Trinity knot, celtic knots, lilies, a cat, floral arrangements that spell messages in flower languages. Every stitch on every piece is a marker of me and who I am a want to become.
IZZY BRYNE –LADBROOK
My final design reflects my culture by representing the ocean and how it moves, I resonate with the ocean because I have grown up by the beach my whole life and it’s my special place. The elements of the design are the sparkles and how they represent the the way the ocean moves and sparkles when the the sun is shining. The special features are the sequin details and the stripe of the skirt fabric in the top. The colour palatte represents the all the different colours of the sea, I have chosen this because the ocean is beautiful and so are these colours.
Joel de Moulin
The inspiration of my garment has been drawn from Christian faith and from what I have seen priests wear in ceremonies and churches. I have decided that I want to use this inspiration because I was raised in a Christian household, my mother brought me up giving prayers and reading and getting to know the Bible and its teachings, and just generally following the word of the lord. So, I think my garment needed to be something drawn from Christian origins, it hangs loosely like the robe of a priest and showcases a large cross on the front as it is the symbol of Christ rising again. The colours I have chosen for this garment are black and white, this also has a meaning in relation to Christian faith. Black symbolizes the judgement of the Lord and white symbolizes purity and new beginnings. Coming back to the cross I also believe that it is relevant to new beginnings as obviously Christ died for our sins but rose again and moved on to be with his father our God the Lord, bringing a new beginning for everyone, this is relevant because I want my garment to symbolize going through judgement and start tying up loose ends to head to a new life of better things. All in all, I think I have chosen a very fitting design and colour scheme to properly represent where I come from and what me and my kin believe in.
Arina Li
My family comes from a lot of places. I was born in Moscow, Russia, in a hamlet called Marushkino. My mum’s side of the family comes from Uzbekistan, however ethnically we are mainly Korean, Japanese and Mongolian, with a little of Chinese and Vietnamese. Most of my family is currently in Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Russia and Korea. Sometimes it’s hard to define exactly where I’m from/what I am when I get asked, so I mainly go with my Russian and Korean culture, as back home we mainly embrace those into our daily lives. My dress represents the common floral patterns of my culture, inspired from the Russian ‘sarafan’. Sarafans usually have heavy floral patterns, and are commonly worn as casual around the house. To make it different, I have made a sarafan meant for formal outings. Lace is also commonly used and worn, so I included lots of it.
Grace McGregor
My extended family is from Scotland in the UK. For my Tiaho garments I decided to create a pleated skirt out of a black fabric which resembles a tartan. The pleats used for this skirt take inspiration from a kilt which is a traditional Scottish garment, as well as the black tartan paying tribute to different family clans tartans. The blouse made alongside the skirt is to represent my life
in Christchurch as blouses have been a usual school uniform I would wear which helps to further represent my identity.
Catherine Dillimore
My pieces were inspired by the Irish heritage of Catherine, my Nana, who was always impeccably dressed. Nana learnt to sew on a treadle sewing machine which was an invaluable skill in her family, as she was an older sister with 10 siblings. Later, she taught my Mum and her sister Catherine to sew, starting with a treadle sewing machine. They loved to change pattern details to make their own unique version of garments.
Traditionally Irish wore a long, heavy woollen cloak, known as a mantle. I wanted a much shorter verson of the same idea, so have made a woollen cape. My dress was made from floral fabric that used to be (someone else’s!) curtains, with the addition of more green for the Irish. I wonder if Nana ever thought about cutting up the curtains to make herself a dress back in the days, when times were tough?
Rhiannon
This cultural piece is informed by my life, as a child I lived a very transient life. Spread across 5 different towns/cities, 7 different schools, 9 different suburbs, 11 rentals, 100’s of friends yet nothing sustaining…
But from a young age my mother instilled a faith in me that there was something greater than ourselves holding us in all things.
And so I carried that with me wherever we went. Time passed, I grew and explored, spending 4 years travelling, moving, experiencing, yet ultimately seeking to answer the age old question, Who am I?
It wasn’t until I returned to where I had begun my questioning, in Christchurch, a little wiser and with a mind wide open to possibilities, that I received my answer. I received a teaching that offered me the knowledge of my True identity, that I was a Holy Child of God, One with Love, One with Peace, One with God. God became my centre and Jesus became my teacher. He became a symbol of awakening to the truth available in all of us. My symbol for love and ultimate unity. My garments are informed by the beautiful and dramatically coloured led light imagery you can find throughout the churches throughout history, and this is my own personal ode to Jesus as a symbol for the peace that lives inside all of us.
