Te Ngau a Hine-Moana

Ko te ngau a Hine-Moana
Ki a Hine-Kirikiri
He ngau mutunga kore
He ngau kukume iho
Ko tōku Kuia tērā
 
Hine-Moana gnaws away at the shore line. With every lap of her waves a greeting to Hine- Kirikiri and Hine-Onepū whose fine sands are slowly formed by this caress. The sea eats away at the whenua. Her sturdy defender Rakahore of rock and stone eventually merges with Parawhenuamea of silt and sediment. These fine particles slowly build up again to form the body of Papatūānuku.
 
This constant ebb and flow is a ceaseless cycle, for centuries completely undisturbed, uninterrupted.
 
The works in this show use onepū, the black iron sands indemic to the rough west coast. An ode to Te Henga where my Kuia was taken off the rocks by Hine-Moana. A victim to this constant cycle. I never met my Kuia, but I am reminded of her presence in the mamae and grief that I silently carry, that often only the moana can strip from my shoulders.

Image: Raukura Turei. Detail of Te poho o Hine-Kirikiri (2020) Courtesy of the artist.