Pandanus

Pandanus has been a primary cultural fiber throughout our Pacific basin tropics. There are many ways of traditional preparation and technique.

Cape York was introduced to a Polynesian, Melanesian techniques by early missionaries and emerged the Arukune coiling .

The only track on traditional usage  was in plain armbands tied with a square knot.

Top end has an extraordinary heritage of splitting half the flat leaf  (similar to the Polynesian fine mat preparation) that shrinks to a string like texture and then using coiling, netting & twinning.

Pandanus is available throughout much of northern Australia and suitable for teaching and cottage craft

Janet Koolgatama

KOCA

Bouchat

Bouchat

KOCA

Bouchat

KOCA

The following series is from "Twined Together " Kunmadj Njalehnjalekena" Injalak Arts Oenpelli NT

With long sticks you bash the light green tip of the Pandanus

Bash em proper hard & it drops out

This mob are the cleverest they split thorns middle and edges with one pull this is the soft central leaf

Twining

Coiling

KOCA

Rhonda Brim Teaching her Families their Grandmothers stories KOCA 2009

Zoe DeJersey & Celia Hall "Bouchat 2009"

These Crafts are of an Archetypal Nature and carry the stories of  Land and Family