The Māori lord has revealed an extraordinary hand-woven shroud to be worn by New Zealand's future Olympic banner conveyors. The new kākahu (padded shroud) was honored by Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII at Turangawaewae Marae in Ngāruawāhia today - 101 days out from the Paris Olympics. New Zealand Olympic Advisory group board individuals and staff, and a few competitors - including Athens 2004 banner conveyor Beatrice Faumuina - went to the uncovering.
"About giving something moves our competitors to go out there on the world stage and address us," ace weaver Rānui Ngārimu (Ngāi Tahu/Ngāti Mutungā) told 1News. It's the second shroud to be made for the Olympic group following the choice to have two banner conveyors. Ngārimu's most memorable Olympic shroud was honored by the late Māori sovereign Woman Te Atairangikaahu quite a while back and was worn by Faumuina in Athens.
"It was a first and there was nothing left but to cry," she said, "however it was likewise about our way of life as Kiwis, as New Zealanders, as individuals of this land - what be we need to ready to abandon?" The new shroud, Te Hono ki Matariki, was woven by a group of four utilizing in excess of 11,000 quills and required 16 months to finish.
NZ Olympic Panel executive Diana Puketapu-Lyndon said the kākahu addressed New Zealand as a country, yet in addition "te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā meeting up as a country on the overall stage". Faumuina offered a few pieces of guidance for New Zealand's future Olympic banner conveyors. "You might be overpowered by the second however embrace each and every thing, from the second you're gifted your uniform to being with your group," she said. "Recollect everything, record it on paper, and live it."