Makatana Island's Opureora Marae is welcoming all to witness the launch of renowned local fibre artist and fashion designer Shona Tawhiao's new sculptures, entitled Pākākano.

A year in the making, the upcoming event will be held today.

The giant woven forms on display, some well over two metres high, evoke the seed pods they are named for.

Each one celebrates the creativity and skills of not only Shona, but also her great grandmother, the late Marara Maihi, known to her extensive whanau as ‘Nanny Nunu.'

Despite Marara's passing when the artist was a child, Shona sees her very much as a collaborator in this exciting new work.

Shona is known internationally for her haute couture raranga, powerful one-off pieces made in traditional Māori weaving techniques, designed to be worn by modern wahine toa (women warriors) and seen on catwalks at Fashion Weeks in New Zealand, Melbourne and London and at New York's Metropolitan Museum.

In Pākākano Shona pays homage to her collaborator by using Nanny Nunu's designs, or raranga whakairo, to form giant seed pods that represent the handing down of skills and knowledge from one generation to the next.

'Just as a seed pod is perfectly designed in nature to holds the precious cargo of DNA, incorporating Nanny's designs into my weaving takes the past to the future, in the present,” says Shona.

Supplied Photo.

Key to the project's success has been the ongoing korero (talk) she's having with local whanau who recall Nanny.

Shon's driving ambition in all of her work is the reinvigoration of the process and philosophy of weaving.

'These beautifully crafted pieces really demonstrate that commitment - her nanny would be proud of her,” says an event spokesperson.

The Pākākano launch is at 10am on Saturday and open to all – those attending can take the 9am ferry form Omokoroa to Matakana. Return ferry is at 1.30pm.