Te Kauae Runga

He rawa whakahirahira te uku hei tārai i te toi Māori o nāianei. Nā te mea he nui ngā mahi e taea ai ki tēnei uku, whakamahia ai i ngā toi huhua. Ko ngā toi e mahia ai e Davina Duke, he whakamana i te rōpū rongonui i whakatūria ai e ngā ringa toi i mua i a ia. E ai ki a Duke:

Ko tā Te Ara Waenganui, tā Te Kauae Raro, tā Te Kauae Runga, he tautohu i te ao o nāianei me te ao Māori. Ko Runga, ko Raro. Kei te tohutoro te puhoro i te moko kauwae, kei te hono atu te kauwae a runga i a tātou me te mātauranga nō ngā rangi tūhāhā, kei te hono atu te kauwae a raro ki te whenua. Ko Te Ara Waenganui mahi i hono ai i a tātou i waenga i ēnei ao e rua.

Uku (clay) is a major sculptural medium in contemporary Māori art. Its versatility has seen it used in an extensive range of works. Davina Duke creates artworks that honour the reputable foundation the uku artists before her established. Duke comments:

Te Ara Waenganui, Te Kauae Raro and Te Kauae Runga signify the present world and te ao Māori [the Māori worldview]. Runga is above and Raro below. The puhoro [thigh or arm tattoo) references moko kauwae [female chin moko], the upper jaw connecting us with celestial knowledge and the lower jaw connecting us with the whenua. Te Ara Waenganui is how our actions connect us between both these worlds.

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