How to become a weaver
Official title: Weaver
Also called: Māori fibre artist, Māori textile artist
Weavers use traditional weaving techniques and traditional and modern tools and materials to design and create artwork and taonga to represent cultural stories, genealogy and other ideas.
Main tasks
- Develop design concepts for weaving
- Talk to clients about weaving processes
- Research special designs and symbols
- Gather and process weaving materials
- Create detailed and technical illustrations
- Weave original objects for exhibition and commercial purposes
- Manage orders and schedule weaving projects
- Prepare and send artwork to buyers and exhibitors
How to become one
You need experience to become a weaver and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Required: experience in raranga and whatu; an understanding of the taiao (natural environment); an understanding of the history of Māori weaving and Māori patterns. Other requirements: to do training; a relevant tertiary qualification in visual arts and crafts (Māori Art or Māori Visual Arts), graphics and design studies (Māori weaving ngā mahi a te whare pora) or similar area; a portfolio of work; experience working with iwi and Māori groups; an understanding of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in other visual arts and crafts. TEC links this job to study in visual arts and crafts. Qualifications: Dip in Creative Arts, Cert in Creative Arts. Usually 9 months to 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $32,000 a year one year after study and $57,000 five years after; 31% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).; Intermediate certificates in māori weaving ngā mahi a te whare pora. TEC links this job to study in graphics and design studies. Qualifications: NZ Cert in Ngā Toi. Usually 1 year.
Pay
- Most common pay: $52,595 to $89,616 a year (median $57,974), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Upper: $121,259 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a weaver?
You need experience to become a weaver and a qualification may be useful. You usually need NCEA Level 3 to do the study or training for this job. Required: experience in raranga and whatu; an understanding of the taiao (natural environment); an understanding of the history of Māori weaving and Māori patterns. Other requirements: to do training; a relevant tertiary qualification in visual arts and crafts (Māori Art or Māori Visual Arts), graphics and design studies (Māori weaving ngā mahi a te whare pora) or similar area; a portfolio of work; experience working with iwi and Māori groups; an understanding of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.
How much does a weaver earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $57,974 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $52,595 to $89,616 a year.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026