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On Friday 1st November 2024 we were honored to have Railala Gade who hails from the Lau group in Fiji and now residing in Auckland, share her knowledge of Fijian Masi making with our community at our MBV Masi making workshop. Masi making has been in Rai’s family for generations, learning from her grandmother she has been making Masi since she was 6 years old. Learning the traditional methods, where to source the natural resources and how to create the motifs and colors which are unique to Fiji.
Rai explained the deep significance of Masi(tapa) and the important cultural significance it plays in Fijian culture and everyday life. And how Masi is made and gifted to mark key life milestones such as births, wedding, achievements and deaths.
In particular Rai explained that when babies are born, families will often clothe the baby in their family Masi to symbolize wrapping the baby in their culture, their ancestors, their family, and love. That same Masi can also be used at important events during the child’s life course such as 21st birthdays and wedding, showing the strong connection between Masi, the infant and their family.
The workshop was very interactive, Rai provided a range of naturally sourced resources (clay, dye, charcoal, Masi) from her island for our community to use. There were also contemporary and NZ sourced items from spotlight which were also options to practice before using the Masi to stencil. The vibe of the workshop was relaxed, welcoming and a lot of fun.
Some comments from our community include:
“Hearing from a maker with decades of knowledge and the practical activity. Grateful for the mentor sharing alternatives so we can make Masi at home.”
“I always thought the Fijian Masi was an art piece that was gifted for weddings just like how in the Samoan culture we gift fine mats. Never once thought that it was used for infant care and also didn’t realise how much went into making one.”
“How important it is to use our own traditional ways of nurturing our babies and supporting and caring for their mums.”
“Gathering of different cultures and learning another Pacifica culture and their taonga was special and significant. Hands on practice revives the tradition and teaching the next generation to keep alive our Pasifika cultures. Sharing knowledge is awesome.”
Thank you, Railala Gade for sharing your knowledge and traditions and our community, for an awesome workshop. We look forward to hosting elevating our Pasifika Cultural Care systems and hosting more workshops in 2025. Watch this space.
