Golf: Korowai presented to NZ Open winner was 'faux fur', says weaver Veranoa Hetet

NZ Open champion Zach Murray of Australia. Photo / Photosport

Renowned weaver Veranoa Hetet says a korowai presented by New Zealand Golf to Australian Zach Murray after winning the NZ Open was a piece of "fake fur".

Murray, who took out the 100th edition of the event on Sunday, was photographed with the tournament trophy while draped in what NZ Golf called a korowai or Māori cloak.

However, Kiwi artist and weaver Hetet was horrified with the so-called korowai, calling it "tokenism" and "misappropriation".

"I could tell straight away that it was a piece of faux fur that you can buy from Spotlight or Kmart or The Warehouse," Hetet told RNZ. "I can tell at a glance – I've been weaving for years now and I know when a cloak is real and it's not real."

Hetet said not using the correct term undermines or belittles the real korowai: "It's just using the right term."

According to NZ Golf, the cloak had been used for the past decade and had been blessed by Ngāi Tahu, even though they were unsure where it had come from, reports RNZ.

Hetet said the blessing made no difference and was embarrassed that something "below par" was presented to the winner of the NZ Open.

"I'm embarrassed as a weaver. There are so many beautiful, accomplished weavers in New Zealand that could create something fitting, that would be fitting of the winner of the New Zealand Golf Open, and yet they chose to present him with something that was below par.

"Either do not use it or find a weaver who was able to create something that has a story that is specific to their competition, that has meaning and that holds mana, that holds mana in its very fabric, in its very make-up."

The 53-year-old said the issue has been brought up before to entrepreneur Michael Hill, who owns The Hills golf course where the NZ Open was held, and the New Zealand Golf Association about the cloak but received no response.

"This isn't the first time that it's been brought up and it's not the first time New Zealand Golf has been made aware that Māori people are unhappy, especially Māori weavers are unhappy about it."