Within the realm of Te Pō, our celestial parents, Ranginui (sky father) and Papatūānuku (earth mother), lay together in a tight embrace with their children nestled between them. Longing for more room and freedom to move, the children tried to separate their parents. It was not until their son Tāne attempted the feat by pushing Ranginui aloft with his legs while his shoulders and arms held Papatūānuku below that the two parents were successfully parted. This act allowed Te Ao Mārama (the world of light and life) to come into being, giving Tāne and his siblings room to move, explore and grow. These artworks recall the power of this creation story. They tell of the embrace Ranginui and Papatūānuku share and the role their son Tāne plays in bringing Te Ao Mārama to humankind.


Kei roto i Te Pō, e kitea nei ō tātou mātua o te tātai arorangi, a Ranginui te Matua, a Papatūānuku te Whaea, e awhi ana, ko ā rāua tamariki e kumua ana ki waenganui i a rāua. I runga i te mānakonako ki te nuku herekore, kei te ngana tēnā tama, tēnā tama ki te whakawehe i ngā mātua, tē taea. Tae rawa atu ki te tama a Tāne, nōna te whakaaro

ki te pana a Ranginui ki runga ake mā ōna waewae, i ōna pokohiwi e here ana i a Papatūānuku ki raro iho, kātahi ka whakawehea ai ō rātou mātua. Nā taua mahi āna i puta mai ai ki Te Ao Mārama, i āhei ai a Tāne rātou ko ōna tuakana, ōna teina ki te korikori, ki te tūhura, ki te tupu. Kitea ai i roto i tēnei rūma ngā toi e maumahara nei i te mana o te kōrero mō te hanganga o te ao. Ko ētahi kaupapa ko te awhi a Ranginui rāua ko Papatūānuku, ko te mahi a tā rāua tama a Tāne nāna i hanga Te Ao Mārama mō tātou te tangata.
 

Artworks | Mahi toi

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Ihi
Ihi

Lisa Reihana

Production date
2020
Medium
two channel UHD-Video video, stereo sound
Size (h x w)
2000 x 325 mm
Credit line
Commissioned by Regional Facilities Auckland, and displayed in the Aotea Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand
Accession no
X2020/29
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Davis Kea Wings (above)
Davis Kea Wings (above)

Fiona Pardington

Production date
2015
Medium
pigment inkjet prints on paper
Size (h x w)
880 x 2360 x 65 mm
Credit line
Private collecton, Auckland
Accession no
X2016/16/45.1-2
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Uenuku
Uenuku

Toi Te Rito Maihi

Production date
1986
Medium
acrylic on canvas
Size (h x w)
2320 x 990 mm
Credit line
Collection of Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato
Accession no
X2020/103
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Rua i te Wānanga
Rua i te Wānanga

Randal Leach

Production date
2019
Medium
acrylic on canvas, diptych
Size (h x w)
800 mm
Credit line
On loan from Randal Leach, Rotorua
Accession no
X2020/34.1-2