Ngā Awa Tūpuna: Ancestral Rivers
Photo: John Miles Photography Te Awa Ngaruroro near Kuripapango
Wai tawhito, wai āhuruhuru, wai tūroa, wai pure, tō manawa ko tōku manawa e kakapa nei
Ancient water, you shelter, nurture and rejuvenate me, your heart and my heart pulse together as one
This creative educational project was initiated to celebrate ngā awa tūpuna, the many ancestral rivers that flow through our motu, sustaining life and energy wherever they live.
Immersive Sound Installation
The vision for Ngā Awa Tūpuna is create a 25m long sculptural sound installation that embodies the full majesty of our awa, from the source, underground puna and small tributaries among the maunga, to the fertile plains, all the way to the moana. The installation’s music will utilise river recordings and interactive sound and spatial design to create a interactive and immersive experience for participants as they walk through the sculpture.
Waiata specially composed for the piece recall and speak of the awa’s physical and spiritual journey. An educational programme with waiata and other creative and science-based activities will accompany the work. The plan is to exhibit it in art galleries or other public buildings or spaces, such as wharenui, school halls, and community halls.
Te Awa Ngaruroro
In 2012 I returned to my birthplace, Heretaunga to visit Kohupātiki marae. I was called back to support the papakainga’s kaupapa, the kaitiakitanga of the awa - my father is buried in the urupā. The Ngaruroro used to flow past the marae until it was diverted many decades ago to irrigate the growing horticultural industry. It is now polluted and full of sediment and the pātiki (black flounder) no longer live in this part of the river. The mauri of this awa and many others in the area have been in decay for many decades. It’s time to ask the hard questions and find sustainable solutions that care for and acknowledge the valuable things these awa offer us.
Ko ngā awa te puna o te kaha, te ora, te tuakiri, te wairua, te oranga tonutanga mō ngā iwi e noho ana ki ōna tahatika
Rivers are the source of strength, life, identity, spirit and sustenance for the people who live along its banks.
