ĀTĀROA, 'the long shadow' of the New Zealand land wars

New works by Dr Rangīhiroa Panoho in 'ĀTĀROA, "the long shadow" of the New Zealand land wars'

'What is it we think of when the phrase ‘New Zealand Wars’ occasionally comes up in conversation? A remote, windswept battlefield in regional North Island? A bronze plaque or perhaps a lone monument recording the largely forgotten names of British or settler militia: the regiments they fought in and who died near or at the site. But what of the thousands of anonymous toa ‘Māori warriors’ who lie fallen? They too fought to maintain their land, their authority over it and the cultural legacy involved in it.

As Hone Heke suggested in his correspondence with Queen Victoria in 1849, "the conversation still lives..." In 2021, the New Zealand Land Wars continue to teach us that there is a continuing need for aroha as Māori and tauiwi make efforts to acknowledge one another and to avoid the darker, more tangible presence of Ātāroa returning.'

Dr Rangihīroa Panoho is a curator, writer, artist and educator affiliated with Ngāti Manu, Te Parawhau and Te Uriroroi hapū of Te Tai Tokerau. He has connections of descent from both leaders of resistance and of invasion. He has a background teaching and curating Māori/Pacific shows in the Whanganui/Wellington region. In 2020 he completed a mōteatea and an essay for the photographer Bruce Connew’s book ‘A Vocabulary’ recording text from Ngā Pakanga Whenua o Mua monuments. One key outcome of this contribution was the sense that the writing wasn’t enough to honour the fallen. “I was moved by their stand and their sacrifices against overwhelming odds and I wanted to recognise that voice in my small creative contribution. The support of my hapū, the Mahara Gallery and Creative New Zealand has been central in helping to realise this vision.”

There is also a Floor-talk in this exhibition with Dr Rangihīroa Panoho:
Saturday 21 August, 2:30pm

All welcome.