Israel Tangaroa Birch

Ara-i-te-uru

Ara-i-te-uru by Israel Tangaroa Birch

Artwork Detail

I arahina te whakatere a ngā tīpuna Ngāpuhi o Israel Birch ki Aotearoa tae noa ki te Hokianga e ngā whetū e rua, ko Ara-i-te-uri (ki ētahi ko Āraiteuru) rāua ko Niua (Ko Niwa, ko Niniwa ki ētahi). He rite ki ngā pou aho ki runga i te mata o te wai, kua whakatangatahia aua pouaho i roto i ngā pūrākau hei taniwha. E ai ki ngā kōrero, ko ngā ao kei waenganui i Te Pō me Te Ao Mārama, koia rā te kāinga o ngā taniwha. I ēnei rā tonu, kei te tiakina ngā matakūrae o te Hokianga e Āraiteuru rāua ko Niua. Ko te kōrero tonu i te whakapapa, i te nohonga, i te tikanga o ngā taniwha ki ngā whakatipuranga heke iho nei, heke iho nei, he momo whakatūpato, he momo whakamaumahara i ngā haepapa, i ngā tikanga a te tangata.

Israel Birch’s Ngāpuhi tīpuna (ancestors) navigated to Aotearoa New Zealand and into the Hokianga Harbour by the light of two stars Ara-i-te-uru (also known as Āraiteuru) and Niua (also known as Niwa or Niniwa). Seen as pillars of light across the surface of the water, these two waterborne beacons have been personified in pūrākau (origin stories) as taniwha (supernatural beings). Taniwha exist between the realms Te Pō and Te Ao Mārama – the metaphysical world and world of light. To this day, Āraiteuru and Niua guard the headlands of the Hokianga. The inter-generational retelling of the origin, presence and behaviours of taniwha offer precautionary reminders of danger, responsibility and obligation.

Title
Ara-i-te-uru
Artist/creator
Israel Tangaroa Birch
Production date
2011
Medium
six spray lacquered stainless steel sheets
Dimensions
130 x 1200 x 1400 mm
Credit line
Collection Te Manawa Museums Trust
Accession no
X2020/35/1
Copyright
Copying restrictions apply
Department
New Zealand Art
Display status
Not on display

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