Something Different

Last night I attended the launch of “Mission of Love” a book of reflections written by Sister Mary Scanlon, Little Company of Mary.

Little Company of Mary was founded by Mary Potter, a name familiar to many here in Wellington especially because of the work of the Mary Potter Hospice.

Sister Mary asked me if I would take some photos for her at the book launch, which I was happy to do.

I transferred the photos to a USB memory stick which I was going to give to her today. However the little black stick looked very bland and sterile compared to the celebration that I was privileged to attend.

I decided that I needed to put it in something, so I made a little kete out of muka and sewed on a piece of paua shell.  Now I feel much happier about handing over the memory stick of photos and pleased to be able to give her a small token to represent how much I appreciate her work and words.
The muka is the heart of the harakeke leaves and Mary’s words come from her heart.
The paua shell is part of who and where we are in the world and this is reflected throughout the book and the lovely photos of New Zealand that compliment the reflections.

 

 

p.s. I just realised that the first ever ‘kete rou pūmahara’ was made from the muka prepared for ‘Rangimarie‘ my first ever Korowai.
(rou pūmahara is Māori for USB Stick)