Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Kahungunu,Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tuwharetoa

Artwork Title: Toi Kowhaiwhai, Inspired by Koro

Materials: Sand

Size: 8 meters long by 3.2 meters wide

Artwork Description: 

Kōwhaiwhai is a traditional Māori pattern used to tell stories, with each design and motif holding deep meaning.

My kōwhaiwhai artwork was inspired by my Koro. Since I was little, my whānau has told me that our Koro was reincarnated as a pīwakawaka after his spirit passed on. 

I chose the tail of the pīwakawaka as the focal point of my kōwhaiwhai because the 12 tail feathers represent the levels of Rangi—the stages and process of reaching heaven, the afterlife.

To reflect this symbolism, I simplified the pīwakawaka tail, following its natural form as closely as possible. The tail begins narrow and gradually fans out, which I kept true in my design. I added koru within the design to bring fine detail, movement, and visual interest.

My favourite part of te toi kōwhaiwhai was when we went on a haerenga ki Mauao and drew our artwork in the sand on a large scale, using a rākau. The design stretched approximately 8 meters long and 3.2 meters wide. I used my feet to measure distances and frequently stepped back to check the proportions. 

We took inspiration from Matua Zane McGregor, who is known for his sand art. To record our temporary kōwhaiwhai and show its full scale, I was photographed with the toi kōwhaiwhai.