Nga Hau E Wha - The Four Winds
Appliqué quilt by Ku Bailey
210cm x 268cm
NZ$3,500

Close up detail

Sponsored by Jill Hawkins, Jillian Quilting Services 2004

This quilt by Auckland Maori artist, Ku Bailey, contains several elements. The quilt is divided into four sections, representing the four points of the compass and the four seasons. Overlaying the sections is a Maori motif pattern. The motif and border have stitched over them kaimoana and kete print fabric. Kaimoana (kai - food, moana - sea) is a staple food in traditional Maori culture. Seafood flourishes along the coasts of New Zealand, and this bounty is believed to be a gift of the gods. Shellfish is traditionally collected from the seashore and carried back in hand-woven flax bags known as "kete".

The Four Winds