Tipurepure ‘Au Vaine: The Mamas keeping tīvaivai alive in Porirua

Every Thursday in Porirua, a group of Kūki ‘Āirani women gathers to stitch, share stories, and sustain one of the Cook Islands’ most treasured cultural traditions: tīvaivai or traditional quiltmaking.

Known as “the Mamas”, the collective Tīpurepure ‘Au Vaine has been quietly preserving this art form since 2019, creating a space where heritage, identity, and community intersect.

They are rooted in a proud lineage of Cook Islands va’inetini (women’s groups) and au va’ine (women’s guilds). Their work will soon be on display at Pātaka Art+ Museum, offering the public a rare glimpse into the artistry, history, and collective spirit stitched into every quilt.

For its members, their weekly meet-ups are a space where Kūki identity is not only preserved, but actively lived.

Tehani Buchanan, a contemporary artist and one of the younger members of the group, tells Island Time how their upcoming exhibition at Pātaka Art + Museum, also titled Tīpurepure ‘Au Vaine, honours both the artistry and social heartbeat of tīvaivai.

“The essence of it is really celebrating the works of our mamas, of our community, the nature of tīvaivai,” she says. “Tīvaivai is an art form and it should be showcased in these big, amazing spaces.

Watch Tehani Buchanan's full interview below.

“The feeling that we want people to have when they're engaging in this space is a feeling of welcome, because that is what you get when you come to the Porirua City Hub to our sessions every Thursday.”

The gallery will host a rotating display of tīvaivai made by the Mamas over four months, from 7 December 2025 to 8 March 2026.

For one day each week, members of Tīpurepure will work on-site, transforming the gallery into a communal creative space and offering audiences an open invitation to observe, learn, and connect. Alongside new works, selected tīvaivai from public collections will also be exhibited.

Tehani Buchanan at the ‘Tipurepure Au Va’ine’ Exhibition at Begonia House in March. Photo/Facebook

Featured Tīpurepure members include Buchanan, Upokoina O Teariki Puia Aerengamate Tekeu, Teremoana Maua-Hodges, Te Tua O Te Rai Akaiti Eitiare-Samuel, Reuera Vaerua, Kura Maeva Hakirere Edwards, Margaret Ngametua Thompson, Teremoana Ngatoro, Mosie Maoate, Mata Tereata State-Blandy, Portia Tiare McQueen, Noopai Burns, Toni Rasmussen, and Turaarii Ngatupunga.

As co-curator, Buchanan describes it as a chance for the public to “step inside tīvaivai making” and experience the artistry of Cook Islands’ crafters through historical patterns, techniques, and the stories woven into every piece.

“We’re all pretty much related,” she says. “I've met and learned more about my own genealogy being a part of that group. Sometimes we just go there to eat and gossip.”

Reconnection and innovation

Buchanan’s desire to reconnect with her Kūki ‘Āirani identity sparked a journey of reclamation. A chance encounter with her aunt during Cook Islands Language Week a few years ago led her to the Thursday sessions, where she joined the Mamas in repairing a tīvaivai left by her paternal grandmother.

“I didn’t have a tīvaivai once I got into adulthood. And no one seemed to want to make one for me,” Buchanan laughs.

Since then, her practice has expanded into innovative territory, incorporating Kintsugi-inspired repairs using gold sequins and creating new works embroidered onto tapa cloth.

While her approach is contemporary, it remains grounded in the collective spirit of Cook Islands quiltmaking. “Tīvaivai, by its very nature, is a collective endeavour. We don't make it on our own and that's what's so special about it.

“That's also a real metaphor of our values as Pacific people and Cook Islands people, we do everything as a collective, our responsibilities are to the collective.”

The exhibition follows recent milestones, including a collection visit to Te Papa Tongarewa and a pop-up show at Begonia House supported by Wellington City Council and Enjoy Contemporary Art Space.

With workshops planned throughout the exhibition period and potential collaborations with Te Papa next year, the future for Tīpurepure ‘Au Vaine is already blossoming.

Tīpurepure ‘Au Vaine is co-curated by Buchanan and Pātaka and is supported by the Pacifica Arts Centre. The exhibition will be held from 7 December 2025 to 8 March 2026.