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Story: Kites and manu tukutuku

Flax

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Flax

Flying lines, called aho tukutuku, were made of fine twisted muka (flax fibre). Harakeke (flax) was also used as a binding cord on most kite frames, and secured the base of birdman kites.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Peter Hodsell

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How to cite this page

Bob Maysmor, Kites and manu tukutuku – Manu tukutuku – Māori kites, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/5288/flax (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bob Maysmor, published 2 March 2009.