mats

These handicrafts are often bought by tourists as a cultural memento of the Pacific Country they visited.

Irrespective of size, woven mats and tapa cloths are permitted into New Zealand. However, up until recently, a requirement for these goods to be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate verifying the absence of live insects and other materials of quarantine concern. This requirement attracts additional costs which have discouraged tourists from purchasing these handicrafts.    

Women in Business Development Incorporated recently hosted two symposiums to discuss quality issues and train new weavers in the art of weaving Ie Sae - the traditional material.

Cultural and protocol advisor, Fuimaono Rosa Me, says weavers have increasingly been using Ie Malo for weaving but she says it's not part of the culture and doesn't produce good quality mats.

"It goes bad very quickly, it doesn't last long, while the Ie Sae lasts for years and years like we've done in the old days and that's why we want to revive this culture again to the women's role."