Hey whanau, lots of interesting happenings in Te Tairawhiti
Weve been to a lot of interesting gatherings lately..
Te Unga Mai festival was last weekend, that was very cool. It was awesome to experience all the karakia from different corners of Te Ao.. All prayers and blessings were gratefully appreciated. It was a welcome treat to my usual Sunday spent in the Gallery.
I love going to all places of worship where one can be a apart of the positivity and the rituals. Its a healing practise for our wairua.
The festival is a move forward towards biculturalism amd multiculturalism within Te Tairawhiti, a positive direction.
I’m always mindful though of the history of colonization within Aotearoa NZ and the effects it has had on the Tangata Whenua and the forms of redress that needs to be taken in to account by the Crown.
Nga mihi rangatira kia koutou katoa nga Hapuu nga Iwi katoa o Te Tairawhiti.
I went to Dive Tatapouri during the week for a Tourism Hui. What a neat place!
Thanks to Dean and Chris who made us all very welcome and layed out the mean Kaimoana..
Hopefully all of our ventures will take off during the summer season. ka pai!
And the last update was the A and P Show.
We took part in the Creative Tairawhiti Tent ( ways to play) That was awesome too, I met other artists that I hadnt previously met..
Very cool day.. Have a great week folks, hey its Independence day 28th of October, does anyone have anything on or shall we do something?
We could have something at Kahukura.. thoughts anyone..
Sunday 5th of October
Well its been a long..time since we updated...
Te Wananga o Aotearoa students have been looking after Kahukura. Its been great to have sometime out and for the Artists to have some exposure to the Gallery scene in Gisborne. Things are picking up, a few tourists in town..
Lots of interesting things happening.. The Tairawhiti Maori Business Netwok Hui went really well.. Great korero, fantastic to meet new women in business ventures, very inspiring, it gives one insight into future goals, both personal as well as professional.
Its so important for us to share initiatives to sustain our businesses as well as the wellbeing of our whanau. Cool night. after the Hui it was Jarods fundraiser at Sohos awesome night out!
Ive been in Tamaki for a few days, School hols is upon us.. Our home is now inundated with Teenagers from Town, "Auckland" very challenging..
Interesting goins on is the upcoming Manukau Festival of Arts check it out www.manukau.govt.nz/arts.
My whanaunga is the arts cooridinator, Steve Bradshaw, they are also organising a hui to tautoko the Parihaka Peace festival on November the 5th in Central Auckland. interesting korero, debate and of course groovy sounds.So if anyones in town check it out.
I also went to the Navatri Festival in Balmoral check it out at www.tarana.co.nz 9 day festival of dance to celebrate the God Shiva.
Since returning home with teenagers...Ive managed to escape to a couple of opening Exibs. The Wax exibition at PBC and The Museum..both fantastic shows!! Ive got some work in Wax but the quality and quantity of some works is mesmerising..
Thats all for now folks.. except I wanted to debrief about the movie Rain of the Children. Just saw it today...
powerful story.. How can you evaluate, re evaluate and interpret something so raw and challenging to us as Maori.
I was numbed by the innocence yet critical of the content, how it appears to reason with atrocities that are still apparent in todays society, and are still acceptable, what was the motivation... does it let pakeha off from the obvious or is it a mere account..
we continue to struggle and find sense within a modern context of the history of an arts culture that relays the importance of messages from the past but is inconclusive and leaves one disillusioned.. wanting...The loss to our people is inconceivable, the fragmentation of our whenua the breakdown of our collective consciousness and for the future of our youth who are continually in search of the truth...
Hokia ki to maunga kia purea koe ki te ha o Tawhirimatea.
Return to your mountain to be cleansed by the winds of Tawhirimatea.
Saturday 13th September
Beautiful day in Te Tairawhiti,
Ka whiti mai a Tama nui te ra, Ka puawai nga hua o Koanga.
We had a great opening for the Tauira of Twoa, their an awesome crew, we had one of the boys looking after the gallery today.. Ka pai Kiwi.Im loving this exibition!!, its installed for 1 month so Im gonna get to enjoy some weekend time with the whanau out in the sun. Weve started planting some kai, my boys are into it, its a cool thing to do. Busy time coming up to summer. Im applying for an Artist residency in India beginning of Next year.. Im so gonna go..
heres hoping.. Im doing that visualisation thing.. Ive already got someone to look after the gallery and the kids are going home for a Month Yahh..
So Im already half way there, now for some putea..
Sunday 31st August
Had an awesome weekend with my whanau, It was nice to have time out. Jarad had a great exibition and managed to make some sales !!. so KAI PAI
Im glad we all had a good time. and Im looking forwards to the fundraiser on the 17th of Sept at Sohos. So Nau mai Haere mai.
On the home front things have been a bit stressful, Matahis had to postpone again due to Works still being in Tahiti, and a timing issue.
Ive managed to get another Group to Exibit in his place. Te Wananga O Aotearoa, Graduates of their Diploma Programme
Rauangi Kawai Raupapa so thats great, It will be installed from the 12th Sept - 13 October
Nau mai Haere mai ano.
Saturday 30th August,
I had to update this before I forgot... Its happening alot these days, Old age I guess..
Had a great night at Jarads Opening, lots of new people an interesting mix, Our Kaumatua Ian Proctor opened up our Exibition, hes fantastic, so supportive of the Arts and of Kahukura.
A great fundraiser as well with the Host of Classic Hits Richard, running our Auction, Really cool surfwear from Sequence, Blitz ,Soho and other sponsors, awesome support Guys!! Gisborne Businesses Rock!!, Awesome support from Toni and Lawrence as well as other whanau/Freinds of Jarads as well. Especially His Mum!
I took the time off while Jarad was in Kahukura and went to the Aotearoa Film Festival which was at the Lawson Feild Theatre, Great Films all indigenous Film Makers, I loved Tama Tu by Taika Waititi from Whanau Apanui, and others from further a far..
Such a treat to have such awesome talent and all the neat things happening right here in Turanganui.. we are indeed privellaged to be part of the local arts scene. So well done to the festival organisers, Te Wananga O Aotearoa and all the Community Groups in town making our City a vibrant Arts Community.
Sunday 24 August 08
Another great day in Kahukura... cold and wet not much goin on here..
Weve had 6 visitors today, 1 a friend that Id hadnt seen for a while.. Shes a practising artist and is wanting a solo show, so thats great, will look forwards to that early next year.. She also went to MIT in Auckland. Shes raising her moko.. I often thought how that would be.. as my kids are now behaving weird.. my girl was so not into the whanau look, now suddenly shes got a beau its all on.. Gosh I hate to think.. hopefully its a phase and will pass..
I hadnt seen another one of my friends for awhile, so that was great to catch up as well.. shes from Jordan a Muslim girl. I really like her.. it must be hard to be in another country away from whanau and having to learn another language just to survive and to be understood. I think she is brave.. She has 3 young children. Shes a hairdresser in her former country but has found it hard to find work, hopefully we can find her an outlet for her mahi. She also does threading which is fantastic!
Its Janmastami, and I miss my friends at the Temple.. Its Khrisnas Birthday! Hare Khrisna, Haribol..
Hey my friend whos into hk just walked in.. hows that for positive thinking.. Have a cool week everyone catch you up next weekend, oh Jarods running the Gallery this weekend ..so cool Im off Fishing.. and its my boys 10th Birthday.
Saturday 23 August 08
Well I thought Id start this day to day account of all the excitement goin on in this here gallery...
Great day in town, mild weather, hmm very interesting... we've only had 5 visitors today, roll on summer season!,
Ive had an interesting week, getting ready for Matahis Exibition, the current show is coming down tomorrow and Jarad Ferris's show is being installed this week. My boy Rehuas been ill all week with the flu, So weve been locked down at home most of the week, Ive been looking forwards to opening up the gallery this weekend and letting some new positive energy come thru, the Mauris been pretty stagnant ..glad its shifting, I got a call from one of my whanau up in the North, that a whanaunga of ours is very ill and was wanting to track down Arnold Wilson the artist in Auckland, their good freinds..I gave him a few contacts, but any replys would be appreciated, So not that much happening today.. oh I got sent The Guide of the Melbourne International Arts festival coming up 9th- 25th October and my artist card... I so want to go!!, www.melbournefestival.com.au
