Tiffany Witehira (Ngāpuhi) is reputedly the only Māori fragrance developer in the world. She definitely runs the only Māori owned and operated perfumery in the world, Curionoir.
From making fragrances, to collaborating with like-minded artisans, she loves to curate experiences that tie in all our senses. From her hand blown glass bottles, to the hand poured perfumes that evoke an array of memories, every element of her business and being is thoughtful and personal.
In this episode we talk about her journey, the challenges of growing up in a predominantly Pākehā upper class world after leaving her papakāinga-based childhood, and, she shares with me her unreleased native plant fragrance collection while I try my best to sound fancy while describing the smell and memories it evokes. We definitely tried some new things with this podcast.
She [my great grandmother] actually did take us into the bush, sleep with Papatūānuku, lie with her and just be with her and listen, and feel…feel her.
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