Authentic Maori Flax Piupiu Skirt Authentic Maori Flax Piupiu Skirt
Maori Flax Piupiu Skirt
This authentic Maori Piupiu, or dance kilt, is made in the traditional way, with one exception (see below). The piupiu is worn by both men and women ( and children) for kapa haka, special occasions, etc. The work involved in making them is long and complex.
Piupiu are traditionally made from flax, although native grasses can also be used. (Our ones are made from flax). A sharp shell is used to cut and strip the flax leaf, to soften it and expose the fibre (muka), and to carve out the areas which will be blackened. When the flax is immersed for a day in a pool of stagnant mud ( paru, which contains iron oxide), the carved out sections turn black. The flax is washed and left to dry in the sun. As the flax dries, it curls into a cylinder. The leaves are fastened to a plaited top, either before or after drying. The only exception to the traditional way these piupiu are made now, is that dyes are used instead of mud, to make the piupiu last longer. Paru is acidic, causing the fibre to break down over time.
Piupiu are worn as part of the Maori dance costume, nowadays usually worn over a black skirt ( women) or black shorts (men). The skirt wraps around and the ends of the plaited section are tied.
Length usually around 20" (51cm) for adult females, and 16" (41cm) for males. Purchase the waist size you want.
If you want a different size to the ones offered, please get in touch.
The piupiu are made-to-order, which takes 2-4 weeks. If you are wanting several for a school or cultural group, allow 2-4 months depending on the quantity needed. Being handmade and dyed, manufacturing time is weather dependent as well. We are happy to do quotes for schools needing to get a grant to purchase their piupiu.
If you want a more complex pattern than that shown (korirangi), the cost will be higher, but it is possible to do. The piupiu are made by one of the top New Zealand piupiu makers. Rest assured, your piupiu will be Maori made and top quality.
Wear your piupiu with pride, or hang it on the wall as a marvellous piece of Maori art.
Note re shipping: Please choose Economy Courier or Express Courier as your overseas shipping option, as the piupiu are too valuable to go by Airmail, which is not tracked or insured.
Comment from customer: The piupiu arrived the next day and I'm really pleased with the order. Many thanks. I hope to place more orders this year. (Carol C, NZ)
And if you watch the Thor:Love and Thunder movie, particularly the scenes with Zeus in Omnipotence City, you'll see a Maori goddess wearing a piupiu...it's ours.
Covid continues to impact our shipping times, so this is a guide only. We do not accept any responsibility for how long shippers take to deliver, as it is beyond our control. These are approximate timelines for how long parcels take to get to their destinations currently.
| Country | Airmail | Tracked Airmail | Economy Courier | Express Courier |
| Australia - ACT, VIC, QLD, NSW | up to 5 weeks | 3-4 weeks | 2 weeks | 7 days (faster to major metro areas) |
| Australia - SA, WA, NT, TAS | 5-6 weeks | 4-5 weeks | 3 weeks | 10 days |
| USA and UK | 4 weeks | 2-3 weeks | 10 days |
7 days |
| Europe and Asia | 6-7 weeks | 4 weeks | 3 weeks | 10 days |
| South America | Minimum 3 months | Minimum 3 months | 4-5 weeks | 2 weeks |
| Rest of World | Variable | Variable | 3-5 weeks |
2 weeks |
| New Zealand | up to a week (only used for items sent in an envelope - iron on patches and cords without toggles) | Courier: North Island overnight, South Island 1-2 days Rural: add a day |
|
Shipping Types
International
Airmail
Standard Airmail shipping around the world. Not insured or tracked. If an airmail parcel goes missing we will do our best to work with shippers to find it, but shipping this way is at your own risk. The likelihood of an airmail parcel going missing is very low.
Tracked Airmail
Airmail shipping around the world, with the added bonus of basic tracking (shipped, arrival in destination country, delivery). Not insured. Shipping this way is at your own risk - there is no compensation if the parcel goes missing. However the likelihood of a tracked parcel going missing is very low.
Economy Courier
Priority shipping around the world, delivered by your local postal authority. Can ship to a PO Box. Insured and comprehensive tracking.
Express Courier
The fastest courier option, using couriers including DHL, Fedex and TNT. Insured and comprehensive tracking. Cannot be used to deliver to PO Boxes, and must be signed for.
New Zealand
Courier within New Zealand
We use both Courierpost and NZ Couriers.
Airmail - only used for items sold with shipping included, mostly plain cords and iron on patches. Shipped using NZ Post.
Pick Up From Store
Only available for those who can pick up from Whangarei within 24-48 hours after the order has been prepared. We will contact you when your order is ready to be picked up. Pick up hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and the address is 12 Pahau Ave, Tikipunga, Whangarei. Come down right hand side of building to first door.
Order Processing Times
Allow 1 business day for an order to be processed, and 1 business day for packing. If an item has temporarily gone out of stock, re-stocking most often takes 2 days but can be up to 2 weeks. We will contact you regarding any major delays.
We ship from Whangarei, New Zealand. When you place your order online, an email confirmation is sent to you. If you cannot see it in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folders, in case your email provider has inadvertently put it there. Please check your confirmation email carefully to make sure you have correctly entered your address and that of the recipient (if you are sending elsewhere). We do not accept any responsibility for errors in the address. If a parcel is returned, we will re-ship if you pay the shipping charge again, or refund you for the goods (only).
You will receive a notification when we ship, which in most cases will include tracking information.
Taxes
Your international order (anything shipped outside New Zealand) may be subject to import duties and taxes, including VAT, which are incurred once your shipment reaches your destination country. ShopNZ is not responsible for these charges if they are applied, and are your responsibility as the customer.
For the UK and Europe, we are gradually being forced to collect VAT on small shipments before shipping, which will means nothing needs to be paid at your end. Your order will show if we have collected VAT on your behalf.
Covid continues to impact our shipping times, so this is a guide only. We do not accept any responsibility for how long shippers take to deliver, as it is beyond our control. These are approximate timelines for how long parcels take to get to their destinations currently.
| Country | Airmail | Tracked Airmail | Economy Courier | Express Courier |
| Australia - ACT, VIC, QLD, NSW | up to 5 weeks | 3-4 weeks | 2 weeks | 7 days (faster to major metro areas) |
| Australia - SA, WA, NT, TAS | 5-6 weeks | 4-5 weeks | 3 weeks | 10 days |
| USA and UK | 4 weeks | 2-3 weeks | 10 days |
7 days |
| Europe and Asia | 6-7 weeks | 4 weeks | 3 weeks | 10 days |
| South America | Minimum 3 months | Minimum 3 months | 4-5 weeks | 2 weeks |
| Rest of World | Variable | Variable | 3-5 weeks |
2 weeks |
| New Zealand | up to a week (only used for items sent in an envelope - iron on patches and cords without toggles) | Courier: North Island overnight, South Island 1-2 days Rural: add a day |
|
Shipping Types
International
Airmail
Standard Airmail shipping around the world. Not insured or tracked. If an airmail parcel goes missing we will do our best to work with shippers to find it, but shipping this way is at your own risk. The likelihood of an airmail parcel going missing is very low.
Tracked Airmail
Airmail shipping around the world, with the added bonus of basic tracking (shipped, arrival in destination country, delivery). Not insured. Shipping this way is at your own risk - there is no compensation if the parcel goes missing. However the likelihood of a tracked parcel going missing is very low.
Economy Courier
Priority shipping around the world, delivered by your local postal authority. Can ship to a PO Box. Insured and comprehensive tracking.
Express Courier
The fastest courier option, using couriers including DHL, Fedex and TNT. Insured and comprehensive tracking. Cannot be used to deliver to PO Boxes, and must be signed for.
New Zealand
Courier within New Zealand
We use both Courierpost and NZ Couriers.
Airmail - only used for items sold with shipping included, mostly plain cords and iron on patches. Shipped using NZ Post.
Pick Up From Store
Only available for those who can pick up from Whangarei within 24-48 hours after the order has been prepared. We will contact you when your order is ready to be picked up. Pick up hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and the address is 12 Pahau Ave, Tikipunga, Whangarei. Come down right hand side of building to first door.
Order Processing Times
Allow 1 business day for an order to be processed, and 1 business day for packing. If an item has temporarily gone out of stock, re-stocking most often takes 2 days but can be up to 2 weeks. We will contact you regarding any major delays.
We ship from Whangarei, New Zealand. When you place your order online, an email confirmation is sent to you. If you cannot see it in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folders, in case your email provider has inadvertently put it there. Please check your confirmation email carefully to make sure you have correctly entered your address and that of the recipient (if you are sending elsewhere). We do not accept any responsibility for errors in the address. If a parcel is returned, we will re-ship if you pay the shipping charge again, or refund you for the goods (only).
You will receive a notification when we ship, which in most cases will include tracking information.
Taxes
Your international order (anything shipped outside New Zealand) may be subject to import duties and taxes, including VAT, which are incurred once your shipment reaches your destination country. ShopNZ is not responsible for these charges if they are applied, and are your responsibility as the customer.
For the UK and Europe, we are gradually being forced to collect VAT on small shipments before shipping, which will means nothing needs to be paid at your end. Your order will show if we have collected VAT on your behalf.
