Te manu tukutuku, the Māori kite

Māori kites are known as manu tukutuku or manu aute. Manu is the word for bird and kite, and tukutuku refers to the winding out of the line as the kite climbs. Manu aute is a general name for Māori kites, but it specifically refers to those covered with the bark of the aute (paper mulberry) plant. Manu aute were made in a variety of forms, but tended to be in the shape of a bird.

Kites were often seen as connectors of the heavens and the earth, but they were also a means of communication for instance one village would often signal to the next that a meeting was needed by flying a kite.

We all read The Seven Kites of Matariki, and discussed the meaning of the Maori New Year and the history behind kite flying as a way to celebrate something special. Then each class had a go at making kites using recycled shopping bags.