Kōrero: Kauri gum and gum digging

One of the oddest curios made of kauri gum is strands of ‘hair’. They were made by placing a piece of gum onto a heated plate. This was left for a few seconds and then slowly lifted off. Fine strands formed as the gum was lifted – like threads of toffee. While still warm, the ‘hair’ could be plaited, but once it cooled it became very brittle and could not be handled.