Paperwork from the series Tai timu, tai pari, 2024, whenua pigment on harakeke paper, A4, by Tauranga-based artist Maraea Timutimu (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi). “The pattern represents the movement of our currents and tides of Te Awanui, Rangataua Harbour and Waipu Bay,” Maraea says. “The waterways that I see, smell and hear every day. The stories held in these waterways span generations and form our whakapapa and connection to place, time and people. The whenua pigment was given to me as a gift – kōkōwai from Hawai’i and kerewhenua from Te Puna. Of all the surfaces I’ve painted on, natural papers are the most receptive to whenua paint. The Battle of Kōkōwai, which took place on Mauao, is why I have used kōkōwai, while kerewhenua and its golden hue is the colour I see within Mauao itself."
Glossary. Harakeke, flax. Kerewhenua, yellow clay. Kōkōwai, red ochre. Mauao, Mount Maunganui. Tai timu tai pari, ebbing and flowing tides. Whakapapa, genealogy. Whenua, land.
This artwork features in our Takarua Winter 2024 Edition.
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