Avara Studio

The final phase of the DIRT collection: Kōwhai. This is the where the ngāhere of Tāne Mahuta comes alive with delicious colour and form in great abundance!

Kōwhai are inherently connected to whenua of course. Once the dirt and moisture finds a way into the hard shell of the seed, magic unfolds. The bright yellow seeds can roll around in the ocean for years they are so durable and hard-wearing!

I love harvesting kōwhai and seeing all the different varieties and cycles the rākau are in. I especially love growing them from seed and seeing the generations of knowledge inside each kākano come to life and unfurl into existence literally 🌱🌼

I've been using Kōwhai in my jewellery practice for 5 years now. This Kōwhai choker that is the centrepiece of this set has lived in my head as a concept for at least a year, and feel grateful to have been able to bring it to life for a special occasion like Āhua!

Ngā mihi nui ki a and
Go and take a look and try these pieces on at the shelter this week. Or come to the show on Tuesday night to see these pieces modelled! (Link in Āhua bio) x

🌼🌼🌼 Avara

The second phase of the DIRT collection: kōkōwai. This phase is all about whenua/earth pigment/dirt and in particular a special kind, the deep red of kōkōwai. In this phase kōkōwai has been used to dye muka (harakeke fibre) which is a more traditional use of this whenua, and also embedded into silver (a more contemporary treatment).

Kōkōwai is an earth pigment that holds special significance in te ao Māori. It was (and still is) used in lots of different ways, including to stain whare (mixed with animal oil), to mark sites or taonga of significance, or painted on the body in some cases.

The red of this whenua links back to the red of the uku (clay) that Hineahuone was formed with, linking back to the first human existence on earth.

The whenua used in this collection from Kapanga Coromandel Town, Te Patukirikiri rohe.

You can find out more about kōkōwai by heading to the incredible resources of kauae Raro ❣️

You can also go have a tutū with these pieces yourself by popping into the this week as part of fashion week. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou!! I'll share the final phase of the DIRT collection tomorrow 🌼

Starting off 2026 with free shipping on orders over $150! If you're gonna invest in a beauty (such as the Pearl Diver ring), I'll get it to you (anywhere in Aotearoa) for free to say thanks 🖤✨

Shopping small artists and brands (especially now for people working with gold or silver 💸📈) is one way to say get outta here to souless big brands who aren't doing much for people or planet.

Every order is magic to me ✨✨✨
Ngā mihi!
Avara x