Uses for flax

Traditional uses of Flax

Flax Gum - Pia Harakeke

• Toothache gum stuffed into holes in sore teeth as a painkiller
• Used to stick feathers together and onto korowai (cloaks)

Flax Root - Roi harakeke

• Inner part of roasted root eaten for constipation
• Nihotuka (toothache) cured by pouring the juice of the flax root into the ear
  • The sufferer would give a cold shiver and then recover quickly

Clothing - Weruweru

• Paraerae - sandals
• Rapaki - waist mat
• Whareama - hat
• Maro - loincloth
• Kinikini - kilt or skirt
• Kakahu iti - small shoulder cloak

Flax leaf

• Lower ends were used to make a cinnamon coloured dye
• Potaka (spinning tops) used harakeke string to make them spin
• Pepepe (toy windmills) were made from leaves twisted in a star shape

Flower Stalk - Kōrari

• Purotu (flute) had 4-6 holes made from the kōrari rakau (wood)
• Ru kōrari is a sweet drink made from shaking nectar from the flower heads
• Mokihi (raft) was made from bundled kōrari and tied together

Pakeha uses of Flax

• Early Europeans used flax fibre to make rope for their sailing ships
• Later uses were for woolpacks for farmers, carpet underfelt, floor coverings, upholstery materials and binder twine (string)