As a strong natural fibre, harakeke was one of the resources essential for survival as it was used to make clothing, shelter, baskets, mats, ropes, sails for canoes, traps, nets and fishing lines. It was also used for rongoā/traditional Māori medicine.
Nā te kaha o te weu, ki ngā Māori o mua kāore i tua atu i te harakeke hei rauemi mō te oranga tonutanga - ka whakamahi ki te hanga kākahu, tāwharau, kete, whāriki, taura, rā mō ngā waka, rore, kupenga, me ngā aho hī ika. I whakamahia hoki mō ngā rongoā.
