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AROHA1 - $6.00

AROHA2 - $7.20

AROHA3 - $9.60

NO CODE - $12.00

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“In the old days, the land felt a great emptiness. It was waiting.
Waiting to be filled up.
Waiting for someone to love it.
Waiting for a leader.
And he came on the back of the whale.
A man to lead a new people.
Our (and my) ancestor: Paikea”.
- Whale Rider

This shawl pattern was directly inspired by the legend of Paikea (formerly named Kahutiaterangi), the demi-god who rode a whale to Aotearoa - ancestor to the Ngati Porou tribe, living on the east coast of the Northern Island.

As a descendant of Paikea and as part of the Ngati Porou iwi, I created this shawl in honor of the Whale Rider legend and as a contribution to the Maori arts.

As you work through this top-down crescent shawl, experience the journey of the Whale Rider. Can you see the body of a whale swimming through the blue seas of the Pacific?

Like the great whale itself skillfully navigating the waters, fly through the first section of simple eyelet garter stitch with ease before reaching the crystal blue waters of the shore. The seafoam stitch may look intimidating, but in practice, it’s very easy to do.

Where do you come from? What is your people’s origin story?

YARN

• MC: 370 - 480 yd./340 - 440 m; C1: 110
• 150 yd./100 - 137 m; C2: 70 - 95 yd./64 - 87 m.
• Fingering, single ply
• Single-ply yarns pill every easily but leave a nice halo effect on the project and work nicely for lace projects.
• Skudderia Fine Yarns Merino Single (100% Merino Superwash; 400 yd./366 m; 100 g). 1 skein in Wolf (MC), 1 skein in Ozeanien (C1), 1 skein in Mint (C2).

NEEDLES

• US 5 (3.75 mm) size, or size needed to obtain gauge, 32 in./80 cm circular needle.
• A long circular needle is recommended in order to accommodate the large number of stitches as the shawl grows.

GAUGE

• 24 sts and 48 rows over 4 in./10 cm in garter stitch with US 5 (3.75 mm) and after blocking.
• Gauge is not crucial to this project, but varying gauges will affect yardage and final measurements.

NOTIONS

• Stitch markers
• Darning/tapestry needle

SPECIAL TECHNIQUES:

• K1, yo k1 in one stitch
• Yarn Overs (pattern contains video tutorial)

Note: in the photos I am wearing a kirituhi stencil. Kirituhi was initially developed so that non-Māori could get “Māori-inspired” tattoos. For Māori, they are used for kapa haka performances and for wāhine to feel empowered—I use it as a forward expression of my cultural heritage without violating the specific mana and tikanga of tā moko. The mana of kirituhi is safe to wear as it is purposefully made to be a “generic” design.

Māori — Native people of New Zealand

Kirituhi — A Māori-inspired tattoo or marking

Kapa haka — Dance performance

Wāhine — Woman

Mana — Authority

Tā moko — A traditional permanent marking of the body and face