Ake Ake Shrouds

11/01/2026

RIP Sir Tim Shadbolt. A NZ icon, longest standing Mayor (of 2 cities), radical activist and charismatic individual with an infectious laugh. I remember sitting in the quad at Auckland Uni listening to Tim talking to us students when I was an Arts student in the 80s. He was influential in my life, teaching me that it's okay to question authority and to fight for the underdog. One of our finest and proudest 'woke'.

10/01/2026

Here's a lovely thing, found on my walk into Wellington this morning.

03/01/2026

In Numerolgy, the 9 year cycle begins at year one. That year is 2026. Its a time to reboot the old system, a time of new beginnings, creation, independence and transitions. I'm no expert on Numerology but when I heard about this I thought, here's something I really want to believe in. Because there's some seriously negative stuff that needs to change in the world, and maybe within myself.

This is a year to collectively make change, to take action, be part of the revolution. It's also a year of self empowerment. That sounds a lot like hope to me.

Bring it on.

31/12/2025

A short but very heartfelt message from me as we teeter on the brink of another year.

A little niche venture like Ake Ake Shrouds is nothing without the support of people like yourself. Thank you for continuing to give yours, whether that be commissioning a shroud, attending a workshop, sending an email or following my social accounts. It all contributes to validating this work and sets me up with good intention to continue as we go into 2026.

I wish you abundance of all the things that bring joy to your days in the coming year. Be well, be safe and be kind to yourself.

24/12/2025

It's such a lovely thing to be the recipient of a shout-out.

- Shout out today to Karen from Ake Ake Shrouds. Based in Kaiwaka, Karen creates plant-dyed funeral shrouds, from foraged botanics. She is an advocate for whānau led death care and natural burials. Her stunning shrouds can be personalised with plants specific to the deceased and their family, or you can purchase a readymade botanic shroud from her stock on hand.

Check out the image below of one of her recent works. A new linen shroud, rose-kissed in green and grey hues. Leaves from new summer growth. Pale green ribbons dyed with roadside Wild Carrot. From garden to grave garment, made with aroha.

It is a tender, loving ritual to participate in the shrouding of a deceased loved one. And can be a comforting thing to do, to plan and order your botanical shroud now, before you need it! What plants would you like to use on yours? Contact Karen at Ake Ake Shrouds www.akeakeshrouds.co.nz

15/12/2025

Collective grief is that kind of grief when the loss affects many people, even when you don't personally know those that died. You know the loss is significant because it runs deep through communities and has far reaching implications. It affects us because it could have been us. I'm referring to the terrorist attack in Bondi Australia, our whānau across the ditch are feeling a lot of pain right now. Here in Aotearoa we remember when this happened to the Muslim community in Christchurch, how it shook our world because things like that 'just don't happen'. It's difficult to comprehend this tragedy, maybe we're not meant to understand it right away, maybe we never will. But the sadness is real.
Acknowledge, sit with it, be kind to yourself.

15/12/2025

I had the joyous privilege of working with Honohono Tatou Katoa and the Manaakai team at Mercy Hospice to collaborate on a special workshop. The kaupapa of making legacy cloths using Te Taiao (the natural world) brought patients, whānau, kaimahi and other artists from the community together for soulful and mindful making, creating prints on cloth with plants. A legacy is not just a thing you give away to others but also something you get to keep for yourself. Whether tangible, ethereal, spiritual or interactive, legacy acknowledges the life lived and connections made along the way.

13/12/2025

"Who would like to hear about what happens when you are dying?"
A candid and sensitive vibe from the movie Dying For S e x. Honestly, this is a really accurate description.

12/12/2025

Legacies come in all shapes, sizes and colours, like seeds and plant cuttings from a loved ones garden. The seeds from these stunning pink Hollyhocks were given to me by an elderly woman called Molly, I used to visit her at her home back when I was a nurse for a community hospice. Amazingly they germinated after more than 10 years in storage. Now these beauties are popping up everywhere. I've distributed seeds to friends so they are now enjoyed district wide. Molly passed away years ago, but her legacy lives on in many gardens across the Kaipara and Mahurangi. I call them Mollyhocks.

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28/11/2025

New linen shroud, rose kissed in green and grey hues. Leaves from new summer growth. Pale green ribbons dyed with roadside Wild Carrot. From garden to grave garment, made with aroha.

www.akeakeshrouds.co.nz