Diggeress Te Kanawa

Diggeress Rangituatahi Te Kanawa CNZM QSO (9 March 1920 – 30 July 2009) was a New Zealand Māori tohunga raranga (master weaver) of Ngati Maniapoto and Ngati Kinohaku descent. At the time of her death she was regarded as New Zealand's most renowned weaver.

Born in Te Kuiti in 1920 to Dame Rangimārie Hetet and Tuheka Taonui Hetet, Te Kanawa was named Diggeress in honour of the World War I diggers after her father served in the New Zealand (Māori) Pioneer Battalion. She came from a family renowned for its weaving tradition and was taught weaving by her mother, Dame Rangimārie Hetet, and other kuia. Through her mother, Te Kanawa's grandfather was Charles Wilson Hursthouse and her great-uncles included Richmond Hursthouse and Henry Robert Richmond.

Te Kanawa married Tana Te Kanawa at 20 and they had 12 children, raising them at Oparure, near Te Kuiti. Through Tana she is Aunt to opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa.

Te Kanawa is remembered as a teacher of weaving, on marae, and at the tertiary institution Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and at events. She taught weaving to renowned weavers such as Maureen Lander and also passed on her expertise on traditional methods of preparing the harakeke and earthen dyes.

...
Wikipedia