The Craft and Trade Exhibition during the Mangaia Bicentennial Celebration ended yesterday at the Oneroa Market.

The exhibition that began on Monday was a celebratory event to promote and showcase the works of the talented people of Mangaia.

All crafts and tivaivai on display on Monday were booked and sold out by Friday as people quickly deposited on their selection.

On display were rows of handmade tivaivai, the sought after ei pupu (snail necklace), stone necklaces made from the Mangaia basalt, and a variety of handmade baskets made from pandanus and coconut leaves/kikau. There were also Mangaian-made pareus sold at the exhibition

Handmade baskets made from pandanus and coconut leaves/kikau was a hot seller. ANASEINI LIKU/24061414/24061420

Visitors were particularly keen to get baskets and necklaces, seen as the perfect gifts to symbolise home for people living overseas.

Also read:

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•  New book explores impact of Christianity on Mangaia
• Unveiling of monuments marks emotional day at Mangaia Bicentennial
• Church Talk: ‘Like Father, like Son – Mei te Metua, e mei te Tamaiti’      

“I’m after the basket to take home so I can use for church back home in Australia,” says an elated visiting Mangaian.

These items are even more special because they were sold during Mangaia’s 200^th anniversary of Christianity.

The Craft and Trade Exhibition coordinator Akeruru Tangatakino said the exhibition was such a great opportunity for Mangaians from overseas to purchase crafts from their island.

“Out of the 1000 people we are welcoming back home, I believe there will be many who will be looking forward to buying crafts to take back home as souvenirs or gifts,” says Tangatakino.

“When we opened, many were quick to grab their products, because there were heaps of people and they had to decide fast what they wanted and pay up.”

In opening the exhibition, Numangatini Ariki, Tangitamaiti Tereapii stated: “This is an opportunity for people to showcase their God-given talents and some of these have a story or piece of history with them, how they were made, where you can learn from by knowing who created them and how the skill was passed from generation to generation.”

• Anaseini Liku