The Hawke's Bay-made harakeke face masks that even museums want a piece of

Purewa MacGregor wearing her "El Bandit" harakeke mask. Photo / Supplied

Hand-woven face masks with Māori identity at the forefront are capturing the eyes of those wanting to document a history of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hastings artist Purewa MacGregor's beautiful and practical raranga (face masks) have been catching the eyes of museums near and far.

MacGregor, a kairaranga (practitioner of traditional Maori art), started making flax masks during the Covid-19 lockdown, initially as a practice concept.

Now two of her hand-woven face masks are part of museum collections in New Zealand and Germany.

"I made one just to wear and put on social media – a lot of people really gravitated towards it," she said.

"Off that exercise I started developing it and realised that it actually could be something."

Te Papa museum in Wellington commissioned a harakeke face mask from Purewa MacGregor in late June last year. Photo / Purewa MacGregor

After consulting a healthcare professional about using flax as a material for a mask, MacGregor said she refined the weave and lined the masks with breathable cotton to provide more protection against pathogens.

"As the momentum started around it a lot of Māori, particularly Māori men, wanted to wear these masks," she said.

"A lot of Māori artists bought them and were wearing them as a practical way to go about their work and their day during lockdown."

The kairaranga said since the start of lockdown and throughout the pandemic she has made more than she can count.

But, she said these face masks - which she currently sells for $80 each - aren't a quick creation.

"Even if I was making just one it takes three days, from harvest to preparation, to weaving, to drying, to attaching it," she said.

"I was making around 15 every three days at the peak."

Purewa MacGregor modelling the Te Papa commissioned mask. Photo / Supplied

Te Papa in Wellington commissioned a mask by the mother of two back in June last year.

Natur und Mensch Museum, in Freiburg, Germany, also commissioned a raranga from the Hawke's Bay-based artist – it arrived in Freiburg in January after a four-week wait in customs.

She said the German museum was wonderful to liaise with, despite the delay in arrival.

"I feel quite honoured because they are so honoured to have this piece," she said.

"There's a big spotlight on Aotearoa right now and I'm definitely noticing that people want to know more about our indigenous culture."

Originally from Taranaki, MacGregor began weaving three years ago and believes she is still in her infancy as a Māori artist.

Her mother and sister are also traditional weavers.

She said she learnt the foundations of the practice through her sister before meeting a master weaver in Flaxmere.

Natur und Mensch Museum of Germany's face mask made by MacGregor arrived in Freiburg in January. Photo / Purewa MacGregor

"She took me under my wing and gave me the different fundamentals of weaving. I've grown off of that," she said.

MacGregor said making the masks is a tiny facet of what she does as a weaver but they have been a great representation of Māori identity through the pandemic.

"For Māori, harakeke (flax) carries a certain weight of protection - it's such an intricate part of traditional, pre-colonial Māori culture," she said.

"Flax was used for the very foundations of Māori life - clothes, houses, baskets. It was a super important part of Māori and I think it's transcended so many generations."

MacGregor added that this might be why Māori men gravitated towards the face masks as she added harakeke can be stereotyped for more feminine accessories such as kete.

As a self-admitted developing kairaranga, MacGregor said she'd loved to have more involvement with making art and Māori creations for museums.

She said Te Papa has been in contact with her about commissioning more pieces of Māori artwork.