Happiness in henna

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Have you tried henna?

It’s a plant-based dye from the henna tree, which contains a pigment that is used for a wide range of purposes including temporary body art.

“It’s like putting on a piece of jewellery or tiara. It makes you feel decorated,” says henna artist Monica Hyde.

Hyde is a self-taught artist and had her first henna stall in 2015, the year her son was born.

She is the “creatress” behind her henna service called Hands in Bloom and perhaps the only active henna artist in Tairāwhiti.

“What I really like about henna is the symbolic meaning it carries. My henna designs may represent new life, fertility, love and beauty.

“For me it resembles a thing of transformation,” she says.

In Indian culture, a bride putting on henna signifies she is a married woman. It symbolises positive spirits and good luck and is a way of wishing the bride good health and prosperity as she begins married life.

At high school Hyde studied clothing and textile science.

“That was my main strength and I was always fascinated with what other cultures had to present both in terms of clothing and values.”

Hyde remembers trying out henna for the first time when she married her Indian husband in Australia.

“I was like ‘Oh my God, let’s have a go at it’. It was so beautiful and amazing to look at . . . and later when I went to India, I got to try it again. I never thought that I would pursue it in the future.”

But one day she found herself experimenting with henna.

“I started to teach myself when I was home with my youngest baby, some seven years ago, and then tested it on myself and my sisters for starters.

“Eventually I began to go out to different markets and draw on people’s hands as a hobby. It really makes me feel happy.”

Hyde makes her own henna using 100 percent natural henna powder and makes her paste using lemon juice, tea tree oil and sugar.

Drawing henna designs may take 10 to 15 minutes.

“Bellies take longer, up to one-and-a-half hours. The paste should be left on your skin as long as possible. It will begin to dry and flake off.

“The longer the paste is on your skin the better the colour will be. It usually takes a couple of hours to flake off. You can brush it off with your hand, but do not use water.”

The initial stain will be orange and it will darken over the next 24-48 hours. The stain will last for up to three weeks.The length of time depends on factors such as the amount of washing and scrubbing, swimming and where the design is located.

The use of henna as a body art form dates back thousands of years.

It is believed that commercially packaged henna, intended for use as a cosmetic hair dye, originated in India and is now popular in many countries including the Middle East, Latin America and Europe.

People interested in trying out henna will find the artist at the Gizzy monthly market days in Marina Park. Hyde is also available for private galas and special occasions.

You can reach her at