Te Arawa traditions speak of the kūmara being brought to Aotearoa by Whakaotirangi where it became increasingly important to Māori, as other crops from Te Moananui-a-kiwa proved difficult to grow. Kūmara are associated with the atua Rongomātāne, who is not only the atua of cultivated plants, but also of peace. This association gave the kūmara … Continue reading Te Kete Rokiroki →

"The land is inhabited by a savage, bloody warrior race with vengeance and war as the precious lifeblood of an ancestor, bequeathed from savage father to savage son." This quote from an un-named writer was used by Dr Moana Jackson in his 2009 ‘Once were gardeners’ lecture. In the lecture, Jackson highlights narratives that have … Continue reading Turi Paru →

My methods are informed by my whakapapa. I use my pūkenga tuku iho, the skills I have inherited through whakapapa to create phyiscal signifiers of the korero that I choose to communicate. The most important of these pukenga is whakairo. Whakairo is something that has been passed down from my great Koro, to my Koro, to … Continue reading Extended/Reflective Statement – Patu →

What do you do? What sort of things do you make? Or select? I use Māori practices of whakairo (carving), rāranga (weaving) and tukutuku (ornamental lattice work), which are my pūkenga tuku iho (skills passed down through whakapapa). I contrast this by substituting in modern non-Māori materials, and incorporating Western concepts of installation art. This … Continue reading Ko wai au? →