Story: Shrubs and small trees of the forest

Cabbage tree kete

The cabbage tree was an important fibre plant for early Māori. They used the leaves to weave food carrying baskets or kete, shown here, as well as mats, rain capes and sandals.

Using this item

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Reference: I.006539

Permission of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Joanna Orwin, Shrubs and small trees of the forest – Cabbage trees, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13832/cabbage-tree-kete (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Joanna Orwin, published 1 March 2009, updated 1 July 2015.

Comments

Gayle Somerville
20 August 2012

I would like to use the photo of a cabbage tree kete in a powerpoint presentation about paua harvest, I want to insert it behind the paua photos, indicating they re harvested, and show other size paua outside the kete, because they re the wrong size to harvest. I will credit the photo. I am not making any money from the presentation, or selling anything, it is a student presentation. Is this OK?