Yesterday I came across an absolute treasure in one of the local charity shops. I had scooped it up as another piece of denim to go into the unending curtains, checked the price ($3!!!) and saw that it had some writing on it, so decided to take it home for a closer look.
And when I did I discovered I had the myth creation story of Wellington printed onto the front of a strapless, fitted denim dress. 
It's a little hard to read in the photo - it says:
It's a little hard to read in the photo - it says:In the beginning
Taniwha Ngake, Whataitai
Carving the land
Te-Whanganui-a-Tara
This is the Maori legend of how Wellington and our beautiful harbour was created - 
Down the back of the dress is a cascade of silk - ruched and hand stitched. I can't imagine how it came to be in that Charity shop - perhaps it was a student textile project that the creator wasn't happy with. I will probably never know.
Down the back of the dress is a cascade of silk - ruched and hand stitched. I can't imagine how it came to be in that Charity shop - perhaps it was a student textile project that the creator wasn't happy with. I will probably never know. 
I feel like I have found a precious gift right at the beginning of Matariki - the Maori New Year.
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