Location: Main Gallery, Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi — Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre

Mataraupō is a new exhibition from contemporary Māori weaver, Tangimoe Clay. A sculptural installation of sensitively and skilfully crafted forms that speak of ‘an illusion of the past’, Mataraupō illuminates the journey of raupō from a fundamental material of early Māori life, to become an act of remembrance through manu tukutuku, kakahu and waiata poi raupō.

These forms are crafted using traditional raranga techniques and natural materials: raupō, hunehune, harakeke, whitau and toetoe. The subtle tones of these elemental resources allow the viewer to focus on the material and the craft of the object, without distraction. Sculpturally hung, they work together to create movement in the room – a dance that connects the past, present and future.

‘A masterful demonstration of an age-old making tradition passed down to Clay from her forefathers. In the beauty of the simple harakeke weave, we see evidence of craft and skill, a reverence for object form. Importantly, we also see the keeping and maintaining of culture through a making practice. A sensitivity to protecting material resources that underscores the enduring significance of craft-based practices.’

Kim Paton - Objectspace Director

For early Māori, the raupō wetlands were a necessity of everyday life. Raupō was used for thatching and cladding the roof and walls of whare. Alongside the whariki, raupō was also used for bedding. The hunehune, the down of the seed-heads, were later used by Pākehā to stuff pillows and mattresses. While raupō whare evidently disappeared in the 1800s, the usage of raupō can still be seen today on the East Coast, lining the inside of wharekai and wharenui. Today, the histories of raupō and its importance within Māori tikanga are maintained through waiata, poi and kapa haka. Through the work of artists like Tangimoe and her peers, the practice of weaving raupō is kept alive, assuring it is not lost or categorised into a Pākehā artform, but maintains an integrity amongst one’s own traditions. 

Mataraupō by Tangimoe Clay opens 4 pm on 9 December 2017 at Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi – the Whakatāne Library and Exhibition Centre, alongside As the Situation Unfolds by Anthony Davies. If you would like to attend this opening event, please join our mailing list, email arts@whakatane.govt.nz or call 07 306 0505.