HE KUPU RUARUA
Natural talent
Whánau, kaimahi and tauira associated with Te Wánanga o Aotearoa showed off their creative flair at Autui, the third Wearable Arts Awards, in August this year.
T
he awards, formerly known as Matariki, have been renamed Autui, which is the kupu Mäori for a whalebone pin used to fasten any type of kahu (traditional Mäori cloak). The new name reflects the time of year when the event is held, between hötoke (winter) and köanga (spring), as well as referring to the bringing together of traditional and contemporary concepts, natural and manufactured materials, and of course people. Entries were invited for the following wearable arts categories: Tiakina a Papatüänuku (using 80 percent recycled materials), Kahurangi (anything blue), Whenua (natural fibres) and Pïataata (sparkling evening wear). A panel made up of artists, teachers and former tauira judged 23 garments on 14 August at the University of Waikato. Each category had a winner and runner-up, and category winners were then eligible for the Supreme Award. Kelly Cunningham, Lawrence Hale and Simi Hale, tauira who are studying Raranga at Raroera campus won the Supreme Award for their wearable creation ‘Ngahere’. The Mäori design team said the piece “was inspired by our affinity with the land and the ability to use our natural resources and taonga. Harakeke, kiekie and vine represent the whenua, pounamu represents the awa, feathers represent the air sustaining our precious manu and copper represents ‘Te Rä’, the sun”.
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KA MIHARO
KÖANGA Spring
HE KUPU RUARUA
Supreme Award winning creation, ‘Ngahere’.