Tōku Haerenga

Abstract

In her master’s project entitled TŌKU HAERENGA, Rokahurihia Ngarimu-Cameron reveals through her writing the intrinsic weaving inheritance she has acquired, as her project engages with the translation of traditional Māori off-loom handwoven garments into a contemporary arts practice in Western loom weaving to bring the two cultures of Aotearoa together.

This dissertation commences with an introduction in which the key components of the dissertation are briefly discussed and in which a selection of practices are included with which Ngarimu-Cameron’s work is aligned in various ways. The introduction is followed by a section entitled “Excursus”. This section includes Ngarimu-Cameron’s own personal background and her connections with whānau and others as well as the genesis of her practice in her own personal context – a context in which issues of resilience and cultural survival played important roles.

Subsequent chapters explores Ngarimu-Cameron’s actual artistic output in five parts: 1) Korowai: Te Haraawaka and Puketeraki; 2) Rāpaki: Southern Man and Puna Taonga; 3) Kahu Kererū: Aotearoa and Otu Kapuarangi/Te Tarata; 4) Kaitaka: Whero and Manono; and 5) Plaid: Lochiel and Bonnie Prince Charlie. The body of work created by Ngarimu-Cameron as discussed in these chapters demonstrate her alignment with the current weaving renaissance in Te Ika a Māui and Te Waipounamu.