Likely metathesis of hikuhiku (“fish tail”) thus reduplication of hiku, see there for more details
kihukihu
- fringes, thrums, tassels
- “kihukihu” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.