A Visual Moment

Right Place, Right Time.

A reflection of a waka - on a poster - caught in the moody waters of Lake Rotorua.
It almost looks real.

Maori Place Names - 74

Otakau Marae

Moeraki, Otago

South Island

May 2010. Ajr.

Tools of Navigation

It was a grey winter day when I visited the grounds of Parliament in Wellington earlier this year but that only accentuated the wonderful contrast between the bright green grass and this marvellous sculpture, "Kaiwhakatere - The Navigator" by Maori artist, Brett Graham.

Graham is one of New Zealand's most exciting sculptors, well known for his ability to engage in a "dual dialogue of Maori and European histories, at the same time adhering to the Modernist emphasis on form and material quality." Although not overtly Maori in their sculptural traditions, his works invariably draw on ancestral traditions and philosophies.

Although this work was only presented to the city in 2000, there's a lovely sense of the ancient about it - all those tightly packed granite cobblestones carrying the secrets and messages of another time. It's as if visitors from another world have left a strange and provoking souvenir of their visit among the shiny modern highrise.

The sculptures are based on the traditional tools of navigation - "Throughout Polynesia, the navigator is exalted as pathfinder and innovator for visionary qualities necessary for discerning leadershop," says Graham. The granite shapes represent a bird's head (manu), a waka (canoe) and a tuahu (altar). "The bird's head guides the traveller. It is a symbol of our inheritance in this land and of the future and the paths we may follow. The waka, or crescent moon shape symbolises a hopeful new beginning. The canoe suggests embarking on a journey, as did our ancestors, Maori and Pakeha. The tuahu, an altar of stones, built on arrival in a new land, suggests promises and challenges." (www.sculpture.org.nz)

Although stunning in its own right, I think the placement of this work is a major contributor to its power. It straddles the bright green hillocks of the parliament grounds confidently - like some ancient reminder to those in the 'halls of power' that soar above it, those 'navigating our future', that we are never far from our past.... no matter how much we would like to pretend otherwise.

From the Kete Files

A Quiet Corner

Weaving Studio

Takahanga Marae

Kaikoura

Feb.2010. Ajr

A Portrait - 22

Kapa Haka Performer

@ Te Puia

Rotorua

May 2009. Ajr

www.tepuia.com

Distracted by an Earthquake

To regular readers of this blog, I would like to apologise for the sudden 'halt to proceedings.' Along with the fact that I am writing a travel guide and don't have a lot of time for blogging if I am to meet my deadline, Christchurch was hit with a major 7.1 earthquake on Saturday, September 4 and we are still reeling under the pounding of continual after-shocks. Today, six days after the event, well over 120 after-shocks have been reported and everyone is living life on edge. But I promise I will be back with much more interesting things in the coming weeks. I have a wealth of photographs from my recent North Island trip and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you.

A Decorated Back Alley

A Mythical Creature

Of Maori Legend

And Imagination

Striding the Wall

Whanganui Back Alley
May 2010.Ajr

Maori Place Names - 73

Main Highway, Turakina

Near Whanganui

North Island

May 2010, Ajr

Village Whare

Ohinemutu Maori Village on Rotorua's steaming lakefront, is one of my favourite places. I love wandering about the skinny streets, watching natural geothermal steaqm hissing up through gardens and gutters, the mud bubbling in nearby pools, the marae and the magnificent St Faith's Church. In among it all is this cute-as-a-button carved whare (house). I've always assumed it was part of one of the marae but on a recent visit, talking with one of the locals, they told me it is a private house that has been lovingly restored with a carved front and that someone does in fact live in it. It's such a lovely visual surprise, snuggled there among all the modern Western-stye housing. Wouldn't it be nice if more modern Maori considered doing this? How much more interesting our modern streets would look.

A Portrait - 21

Tamaki Maori Village

Rotorua

June 2010, Ajr

Spuds!

Maori Potatoes

On Sale

Taupo Market

June 2010. Ajr

To Market, To Market

The Rotorua Farmers' Market at Kuirau Park in Rotorua is somehow 'quintessential Rotorua.' Get down there early on a Saturday morning (in winter in this case) and the geothermal mist is rising, the smell of sulphur hangs in the air and an early guitar is strumming a few warm-up chords.

It's not a Maori market per se, but you'll find a wide range of traditional Maori kai favourites - puha, Rewena bread, steamed puddings, fresh kina, whitebait fritters, mussel patties and watercress bundled into big leafy bunches.

There are stalls selling Maori handcrafts (and a few imitations) and on the morning I went, back in June, there was a woman making korowai (cloaks), her fingers seemingly impervious to the cold as she wove feathers into her garment. The market has a wide range of fresh vegetables and a great atmosphere - definitely a must-visit if you're in town on a Saturday morning.

Entering Taranaki

As I left Whanganui recently, driving northwest to New Plymouth on the Surf Highway, I came upon this unusually picket-fenced marae down a side road. It's Waiokura Marae, located on Winks Road, just south of the small town of Manaia, which was settled in the 1880s and named after Chief Manaia Hukunui. The whare here - Paraukau - was built in his honour. It's home to the people of Ngati Tu, a hapu of Nga Ruahine. All was quiet the morning I arrived - but for the early chattering and tinkering at the nearby Kohaga Reo - a peaceful scene, with the metal road snaking away into the rolling green and Mt Taranaki looming protectively on the horizon.

It was a different story a short distance away on the main highway opposite the Manaia Golf Course, where these signs indicate Ngati Tu dissatisfaction over their unresolved land claims.
www.ngaruahine.iwi.nz

A Portrait - 20

Young Girl in the Sand

Kaikoura

Feb 2010. Ajr

Maori Place Names - 72

Moeraki, South of Oamaru

South Island

May 2010, Ajr

Exploring the Horowhenua

Back in May, when I was edging my way north from Wellington, I was determined to stop at least one of the sign-posted marae. I had been unable to last year because of the large traffic volumes and my own time constraints. So this time, when I saw the sign pointing to Kikopiri Marae at the little Horowhenua settlement of Ohau, I turned off the highway and followed a narrow country road for a few kilometres.

It was a drizzly but sunny day and the short road leading to the marae on a small hill was muddy so I didn't even get out of the car. But I was taken with the prettiness of the scene - the little old marae peeping out from behind giant harakeke (flax) and what looked to be small kauri or totara trees. I haven't been able to find out a lot about the marae but it does appear to be an important centre for Ngati Kikopiri people and I was able to trace some lovely old photographs in Alexander Turnbull Library files, showing the marae between 1895-1906 - recognisable by the building's distinctive carved amo (the upright carvings on the front gable). According to my other readings, I think there may be a connection to Ngati Raukawa - some of whom migrated to Horowhenua in the early 1820s, to this area....though I can't be sure of that and am open to reader suggestions. www.kikopiri.whanau.org.nz

A Bay of Plenty Discovery

The day I left Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty on my recent travels around New Zealand, I took my time, dawdling first in the lovely, little seaside village of Maketu before carrying on to sunny Te Puke.

I was so distracted by my thoughts about Maketu - and how much I loved the place - that as I drove out of Te Puke I almost missed this marae - Tuhourangi Marae. If it hasn't been for the bright school gateway on this Te Kura Kaupapa Maori, I would have sailed straight past.
The gate is a memorial, unveiled in 1948, to Maori soldiers killed in battle. It was when I was walking back to my car after photographing the gate that I looked up and saw the marae in straight in front of me across the busy highway. I took these shots from there. I haven't hadd time to find out anything about the marae, other than it sits in the Rohe of Waiariki/Te Arawa. If any readers can enlighten me further please leave a comment.

Kaitiaki - Trustee/Guardian

I love walking a city and unexpectedly coming upon a work of public art.

Wellington is perfect for that because of the intimate nature of the city and the proliferation of public artworks. Here, in Auckland, because of the far greater spread of the city and the tucked-away nature of many of the sculptures (and, it must be said, a lack of promotion), I tend to "stumble on artwork" far less often. So I was delighted when I walked around the corner and discovered this gleaming work "Kaitiaki II" (Trustee), by Maori artist, Fred Graham.
It's located down the lower end of Queen Street.

A few days later, I happened upon this second dramatic piece by Graham, Kaitiaki .

It's part of the Auckland Domain Scupture walk, initiated in 2001 and funded by the P.A. Edmiston Trust with assistance from the NZ Lotteries Grants Board Millennium Fund.

Fred Graham (b 1928), Ngati Koroki, Ngati Raukawa, studied art at Ardmore and Dunedin Teachers' College and became one of the young Maori artists to work under celebrated Maori carver, Pine (Pineamine) Taiapa, Ngati Porou (1901-1972), who between 1946-71 worked on 39 traditional meeting houses, including the spectacular whare runanga on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds). Graham though, soon became interested in alternative materials and non-traditional expression and moved toward sculpture, using stainless steel, copper and native and exotic timbers. This work in the Auckland Domain, close to Auckland Museum, represents a hawk.

I like the way it's huge, swooping, menacing form so perfectly represents the predator qualities of the hawk at the same time, casting a vast, protective shadow across the land beneath.

A Place of Celebration

Back in May, when I was travelling up the North Island, I saw a monument on the side of the road (below), just south of Otorohanga in the South Waikato/Waitomo area. I spun around and pulled into the side parking area to see what it was all about.

That's when I saw the yellow road sign marking Rereamanu Marae.

And looking to my left, I saw it - down a narrow, unsealed road, far below, huddled in a valley, surrounded by those distinctive rolling green, south Waikato hills - a perfect, private setting tucked away from the mad rush of the main highway.

It was here - at Rereamanu Marae, on February 5, 2009, that Ngati Maniapoto hosted tribes from all over New Zealand - and Te Arikinui, King Tuheitia, to mark and celebrate 150 years of the Kingitanga Movement. The 3-day event was hosted here at Rereamanu because it is the closest site to where Chief Potatau Te Wherowhero was confirmed as Maniapoto's choice to become the first Maori King. Potatau was subsequently crowned the first Maori King in Ngaruawahia in April, 1858. The memorial above marks the site of the first meeting of those chiefly discussions and chronicles the history.

As I stood on the side of the highway reading this history, I was struck once again by the thought that we sail by so much in life - everyday markers and places - without ever knowing what has gone before us. I for one, have driven past this memorial an uncountable number of times previously without knowing its significance. I left, glad I had stopped and without wanting to sound corny, I somehow felt a little richer for the knowledge and the landscapes - the memorial and marae huddled down in the valley - I had seen in fifteen short minutes. www.maniapoto.iwi.nz