Bringing Legendary Birds back with Street Art
Ani asks
Tēnā koe Paulina,
I'm curious what your consultation process has been with mana whenua. The proposed image depicts taonga species in quite a confronting way and I'm wondering if there are tikanga considerations to factor in. I feel strongly about protecting our endangered taonga species, but personally prefer that depictions preserve the mana of living things we consider part of our whakapapa, ngā manu especially, and viscerally I feel this doesn't, others may have a different response. But it would be a matter of discussing with ngā tāngata tiaki if this hasn't already happened. Kia ora.
Paulina
Thank you for your feedback Ani,
I have chosen to depict the taonga species because their memory and history is treasured. They were powerful animals, and they are powerful symbols with nuanced layers of meanings. From what I have read, the moa hunters and early Māori developed a concept of extinction quite early, beginning an ever evolving reflection of conservation and resource use. My own worldview influences my interpretation, though this isn't a piece just for me, so through out the design process, I have had many people, Māori , Pākehā, and international people provide feedback, but I welcome criticism with an open mind to modifying the design to meet the goals of of the piece. As this project is part of my master's thesis, it has been reviewed by university staff and has gone through Māori consultation. I will certainly reach out to ngā tāngata tiaki, thank you.
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