Taking the kaupapa to Sydney

ACROSS THE DITCH: Off to Sydney are, from left, Ahorangi Derek Lardelli and Rose Gould-Lardelli with Toihoukura Maori arts and design students Michelle Kerr, Danielle Renata, Te Moa Panapa and Jayden Hokianga.

The waiata of Paikea will resound in the national Museum of Australia when a delegation of students from EIT’s Toihoukura School of Maori Arts and Design support their professor, Ahorangi Derek Lardelli, who has been invited to lecture there.

Professor Lardelli is to discuss the significance of whales in Maori culture as part of Te Papa’s Whales/Tohora touring exhibition, currently installed in Sydney.

In a lecture entitled Whale Rider Paikea Ariki Moana: Examining cultural connections, he will discuss traditional and contemporary Maori design and the influence and inspiration drawn from eponymous ancestor Paikea Ariki. He will also show how this links to contemporary cultural and artistic practice.

Professor Lardelli has had a long connection with the Tohora exhibition, since Te Papa first installed it in 2007.

The exhibition has spent a decade touring, including to America, where Professor Lardelli presented supporting lectures at the inaugural international opening at the National Geographic Museum, Washington DC, in 2008.

He has a long-time involvement with Te Papa where he is currently a member of the Taonga Repatriation Advisory Committee, and is looking forward to viewing the taonga at the Museum of Australia.

When he and his wife Rose Gould-Lardelli received the invitation, they decided it was an excellent opportunity for exposure and recognition of the work being done at Toihoukura, and a rare opportunity for students to be recognised on an international platform.

They negotiated to increase the travelling group size. Four students were selected based on their artistic merit, level of cultural connectedness, and their ability to communicate kaupapa Maori, an aspect that is strongly nurtured at Toihoukura. The students have links to tohora through their whakapapa to Paikea or in their artistic practice.

“They will be supporting Derek’s korero with the Paikea karakia, singing the Paikea waiata and performing the haka,” said Rose Gould-Lardelli, who has a background as an educator and holds a Master’s degree in Arts Management.

As part of an open day at the museum in Sydney on Saturday, April 13, the students will lead a series of interactive public workshops featuring poi making, waiata, haka and Maori design. They will draw temporary ta moko (skin designs) on members of the public, which the children in particular seem to enjoy, and explain aspects of Maori art and design.

A highlight they are all looking forward to is the opportunity the Museum of Australia has given them to conduct research in the museum’s collection and archives.

“We have been given open access to the Museum’s New Zealand and Pacific collection, both front and back of house. That is really exciting, said Gould-Lardelli.

The students are particularly looking forward to meeting indigenous people.

“We will be able to connect with these groups, experience another culture and share our own culture,” said Jayden Hokianga.

Michelle Kerr, a well-recognised East Coast weaver, is hoping to be inspired by some of the Australian taonga, and incorporate some of the motifs in her own art.

Danielle Renata believes the international experience will help her career further down the track, once she has completed her degree.

Te Moa Panapa is excited about learning more about another culture and seeing a museum collection that is bigger than what is available in New Zealand.

The four, supported by fellow students, whanau and friends, have been fundraising by selling artworks and raffles for the trip. They would like to thank all of those who have supported them in any way.

When the Lardellis took part in a recent opening for the Skin Marking: Ta Moko exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, over 1200 people attended the activities.

They have been told to expect a similar high level of interest in Sydney, where they will be until April 15.