Te ngahuru ki te koanga
equinox to equinox
19th March – 26th September 2008
Toko Mata Gallery
82 Lichfield Street
Christchurch
New Zealand
ph. 021 024 86 1 33
www.ruapick.vc.net.nz
Hours: Mon – Fri 12am-5pm,
Kia ora Tatou
Exhibition information:
The ‘Te Ngahuru ki Te Koanga’ exhibition pays homage to the equinoxes.
Light & dark are balanced equally.
The times in-between the thresholds of Ao (Light) & Po (dark),
the times when two realms meet.
The artworks in this exhibition honour ancient stories of lightness & darkness. A number of works display narratives of activities that occurred during seasonal equinoxes:
Te Ngahuru (Autumn Equinox), the harvest and seed season. The tenth month in the Marama Taka (moon calendar) is known as Te Pu Toki o Te Tau, this is when the stars of Poutu te Rangi, the great pole that Tane used to separate his parents Ranginui & Papatuanuku, shine brightly in the heavens. Poutu Te Rangi (Altair) is the star at the top of the pole & Whanui (Vega) is at the base.
This exhibition then travels the cold dark months of Te Hotoke (Winter), when nature contracts, shuts down and rests, emerging with Te Koanga (Spring Equinox). Spring bursts forth with new shoots & buds, life is renewed, Nga mara (gardens) are dug and planted when the soils are warm. Fishing grounds and the trails of land and sea are opened, new journeys begin.
These taonga are inspired in story and form, from the natural world, Tuputupu Whenua (Grandmother Nature). A homage to the Nga Kai Purakau (Story Tellers) and the Nga Kai Tuhituhi (Scribes), who walk gently between Te Ao Marama (The World of Light) and Te Ao Pouri (The World of Darkness).
Rongo Aio Katoa
Rua Pick