Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa

Marara’s passion for weaving began at primary school in Ōtaki when her artistically skilled teacher gifted her a gorgeous putiputi (woven flower) for her 10th birthday. This defining moment for Marara sparked a lifelong interest in raranga and toi Māori. In 2018, her raranga journey prospered with the guidance of the weaving community in Waitahanui. Under their wing she learned foundational skills about the art of raranga, weaving kete, pīkau, whāriki and how to process muka. This formed a deepened appreciation for the craft and a closer connection to her whakapapa. Which is displayed in her artwork as it’s a mirror of her ancestral ties to Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Raukawa, as well as her admiration for Papatūānuku and recreation of traditional Māori raranga techniques.