‘Te Hiwi o Rangi’ The Hull of Rangi’s Canoe
$5,400.00
2026
Recycled pine joist from the Navy Base jetty upgrade/acrylic paint/black stain
2600mm x 450mm x 200mm
SKU 16620
This hull serves as the foundation for Rangi’s waka, providing buoyancy and strength to the main structure as it navigates Te Pō Nui – the great darkness.
Metaphorically it represents the support and protection that holds people, communities and cultures together at times of the passing of loved ones.
Within the hull it also protects and shelters life for further generations. Therefore it supports values, principles and cultural identity.
This waka also carries the physical and spiritual knowledge systems across the great night sky of Rangi and into Te Ika Roa – the Milky Way.
The carved woven raranga pattern at the top binds the forward end of the waka to the aft end, providing support and strength both physical and spiritual.
The Te Ara Poutama – stairway pattern – represents the spirit’s journey up through the many heavens. In te ao Māori, depending on how you lived your life on Earth would determine the heaven that the Whatukura and Mareikura would invite the spirit to. You weren’t necessarily guaranteed access to the upper heavens initially.
Hine Marama – goddess of the moon – is represented in the pāua shell. She is tied to the female cycles, fertility and the rhythms of life in the cosmos and on Earth. The puhoro and koru designs support these cosmological cycles of life and death. The white colour represents purity and the sanctity of Te Ao Mārama – the world of light. The unaunahi – crescent shaped fish scale design – represents unity, abundance, health and vitality.
The dark colouring represents the many darknesses – Te Kore / Te Pō Uriruri / Te Pō Roa / Te Pō te Kitea – and somewhat disguises the waka so it floats unseen through Te Pō Nui, with only flashes of colour from above to acknowledge its presence.
With there being only one hull carved for this waka, the other needs to be constructed and balanced by your willingness to read and share ngā kōrero i tuku iho – the stories of our Māori cosmos.
Manawatia a Matariki – let us celebrate the rising of Matariki.
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