Matariki 2024: Mai i te Moana ki te Whenua

Matariki 2024: Mai i te Moana ki te Whenua

Uenuku Hawira, Joe Kemp, Sherie Kemp, Teimah Kemp, Hohepa Peni, Judy Henderson, Kiriana O’Connell, Bronwyn Ngatai-Hawtin, Ngahiwi Walker and Natanahira Te Pona.

29 June – 10 August 2024

Opening / Artist Panel: Saturday 29 June, 2-4pm

Image Credit: Natanahira Te Pona

Mai i te Moana ki te Whenua is a multi-media exhibition that shares stories of Matariki and Puanga, acknowledging the many ways that this time of year is celebrated throughout the country.

Coming from across the motu, the artists will share their knowledge of mātauranga Māori through toi whakairo, raranga, and rongoā. The exhibition is curated by Natanahira Te Pona, resident carver at Lake House Arts Takapuna and long-time collaborator of DEPOT Artspace.  

This exhibition includes artwork by Uenuku Hawira, Joe Kemp, Sherie Kemp, Teimah Kemp, Hohepa Peni, Judy Henderson, Kiriana O’Connell, Bronwyn Ngatai-Hawtin, Ngahiwi Walker and Natanahira Te Pona.

Workshops & Events:

About the Artists

Uenuku Hawira

Uenuku Hawira is a carver and tattooist based in the Waikato. He found comfort in art as a child and was introduced to carving in his teens. In all his creative practices he reflects Māori culture and knowledge. 

Joe Kemp

Joe Kemp is married to Sherie, and they have three sons. They have lived in Lake Rotoma in the Bay of Plenty for the last fifteen years. He was born in Christchurch, but he and his family moved up to the Bay of Plenty when he was two, where he has stayed ever since. His tribal connections are Ngai Tahu, Ngapuhi and Te Arawa (Ngati Makino). He has been into art since he can remember and started sculpting 20 years ago. 

He is a self-taught carver and believes it is a privilege to create within this artform. Carving the human form makes him feel connected to his ancestral history which brings a whole new meaning and purpose to the finished artwork. He uses wood as his main medium and enjoys discovering the secrets and surprises that our native timbers have with them. He feels a connection with Tane Mahuta (the life force of the tree) as he works with the wood.  

He also carves a variety of stone, through which he feels a connection with Papatuanuku (Earth Mother). He looks to bring out the wairua (essence) in each piece, starting from where the material it originated from and highlighting any special features like the grains in the stone and wood.

Sherie Kemp

Sherie Kemp carves smaller hard stone offering bowls, as bird baths and feeders and indoor smaller bowls. She loves working with the natural forms of the stone utilising the organic shape to help her to depict the final art form. She works from her home studio on the shores of Lake Rotoma. 

Teimah Kemp

Teimah Kemp is the son of Joe and Sherie Kemp. Along with his mother, he has been learning the art of whakairo through his father. He often practices whakairo rakau (wood carving) and creates many forms including patu (clubs) and hei matau (fishhooks). 

Hohepa Peni

Hohepa enrolled in the 1995 intake at Te Wānanga Whakairo o Whakaturia where he trained under the guidance of Tony Kapua. During that time, he, along with his classmates, were also fortunate to receive guidance from the Late Tuti Tukaokao. In 1996 Hohepa trained with Te Wānanga Whakairo o Aotearoa Rotorua under the tuteledge of Ruihana Phillips and in the latter James Te Kuiti Stewart. Hohepa completed the program in 1999.  

In 2003 Hohepa was fortunate to train further under former graduates Conrad Anaru and Mike Matchitt until 2005 where he applied at The New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute and was accepted. Hohepa completed his training under the guidance of Master Carver Albert Te Pou in 2009. Hohepa stayed on as a weekend Kaimahi until 2011, then transferred to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Te Maunga,Kura Toi BMVA. He also worked with WINTEC as an External Assessor until 2022. Hohepa has returned to The New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute now as a Pouako.

Judy Henderson

Judy Henderson is kaiako at the WEST (West Auckland Enterprise, Skills and Training) Hub in West Auckland. She teaches classes at the community hub on how to incorporate rongoā into our daily lives and the importance of connecting with nature.  

Her passion for healing with plants started when she was a teenager and blossomed when she became a tauira at Te Wananga O Aotearoa in 2016. 

Alongside her kaiako and mentor, Joseph, they developed a course for the introduction to rongoā, which she continues to teach and practice to this day. The tauira who participate in the course leave with the knowledge to make simple remedies that can benefit themselves and their whānau and helps them to take charge of their well-being and health. 

She is also a big advocate for self-healing and promotes learning rongoā as a great start in one’s healing journey.

Kiriana O’Connell

Kiriana O’Connell (Ngati Raukawa te au ki te tonga, Ngati Tukorehe, Pākehā) is a member of the Kaipātiki Weaving Roopu, Corban’s Weaving Circle and Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa. Based in Tāmaki Makaurau she works with both customary and contemporary materials including harakeke, kiekie, pingao, native and commercial dyes. She embraces traditional techniques and patterns in her work and is continually inspired by both the mastery and artistry of her ancestors. 

Raranga (flax-weaving) is a process that requires dedicated, careful and time-consuming preparation, it is this very process-based practice which allows her to connect into the continuum of weaving passed down by her ancestors and sustained for future generations.

Bronwyn Ngatai-Hawtin

Ko Whetumatarau te Maunga
Ko Awatere te Awa
Ko Hinerupe te Marae 
Ko Te Whānau a Tuwhakairiora me Te Whānau a Hinerupe ngā Hapū
Ko Ngati Porou te Iwi
Ko Horouta te Waka
Tihei Mauri Ora
Ko Bronwyn Ngatai-Hawtin ahau. 

Bronwyn was born and raised on her whenua taurikura o Matakaoa, at the foot of my Maunga Whetumatarau, and was immersed in Te Ao Maori.  

She grew up exposed to raranga, learning by the hands of her Kōkā from a young age, many of the Taonga she weaves today come from the very same Pā Harakeke that her Kōkā guided her to harvest and the same Pā harakeke that first introduced her to the love of Raranga. As an adolescent her family moved from Te Araroa to Tāmaki Makaurau and a new lifestyle was introduced to her. She no longer had her marae down the road, her maunga behind her or her pā harakeke at her fingertips. 

Life has given her many teachings and numerous paths, but ultimately, she believes we are guided back to who we are meant to be. For many years this art form sat silently inside her, unused and forgotten. A significant event in her life reignited the flame and once again she found herself captivated by te whare pora and raranga.

Today she weaves from a place of healing, each whenu demanding her patience and attention. Weaving the complexities of grief and mamae out of oneself – releasing hurt to create something beautiful. Ka ao te po. She weaves from a place of passion and carefully handles each whenu. The whenu are showcased for their individual beauty, the uniqueness of their natural fibre, which gives life and individuality to each piece. She weaves from a place of reclamation – reclaiming taonga motuhake, taonga tuku iho, her authentic self and the wāhine who come from her tipuna.

Nōku te honore, te ataahua hoki o tēnei tino taonga, nā te whare pora.

Her tipuna. Nōku te honore, te ataahua hoki o tēnei tino taonga, nā te whare pora.

Ngahiwi Walker

Ko te whetumatarau te maunga
Ko awatere te awa
Ko horouta te waka
Ko Ngati Porou te iwi
Ko Ngahiwi Walker ahau

Ngahiwi Walker hails from Te Tairawhiti and has been a part of the Te Hau Kapua, Devonport community for decades. He is currently serving his 38th year in Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa, The Royal New Zealand Navy.

He takes his inspiration from the Putaiao or natural environment to create artworks that are sympathetic to what is happening in our world. He works recycled materials where possible to produce artworks that have a strong wairua or spirit in them. He also responds to the realm of our atua Māori and the pūrākau o nehera or stories and designs of his ancestors.

Natanahira Te Pona

Natanahira graduated from the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute as a wood sculptor. He has extensive experience managing sculpture symposiums and creating public sculptures around New Zealand. His passion for wood carving has spanned commissions, teaching adults and children and he is currently Lake House Art Centre’s Resident Carver. 

Presented with support from Te Puni Kōkiri and the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board.