A week long exploration of Maori and foreign culture at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic is complete with fashion design students getting to feel, touch and taste different cultures.

The second year diploma students study history, culture and context as part of their programme of study and rather than learn from just lectures, a more hands on approach is taken.

Nirmala Gounder shows students Natalie Lockyear, Kelly Rolands and Danielle Small how to put on a sari.

Debra Laraman, Group Leader Design, says the week is essential to enable students to successfully incorporate aspects of design from other cultures into their own work.

'We've found this concept works really well for our students,” says Debra.

'This year we've included disabilities, Japanese and Indian culture as well as lectures on traditional Maori culture, including Ta Moko, learning a waiata and a visit to Judea marae.”

Chef tutor Andrew Targett shows students how to make Indian roti.

The Maori culture aspect of the week also included a visit to Creative Tauranga where two of Tauranga's established Maori artists, Rowena Chapman and Rawinia Gray, had joined forces exhibiting a stunning collection of works.

Just over the road at the Tauranga Art Gallery, the students viewed Brett Graham: Mihaia and Colin McCahon's Urewera Mural before finishing their day with visiting the Matariki exhibit at the Tauranga Civic Centre.

Shino Henderson, owner and designer from Tauranga-based Shining Style presented a session on traditional Kimono, Japanese culture and fashion on Thursday, and Nirmala Gounder from the local Indian community, spoke to the students about the Sari and jewellery in traditional culture.

Culture week concluded with the students learning to cook a traditional Indian meal in the polytechnic's teaching kitchen with chef Andrew Targett and then sharing the meal with each other and invited guests from within the polytechnic and local community.

'The week really helps our year two students to prepare for the second semester where they will design and present work for the Westfield Style Pasifika Awards,” says Debra.

The polytechnic's fashion team has a long history of winning many of the categories at the prestigious Pasifika awards with student experiences from culture week being incorporated in many of the award winning designs.

With Pasifika not far off Debra is eagerly waiting to see what this year's local top designers bring to the catwalk.