A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments Report of findings: 2020/21 Mataaho Contributions Completed by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective Submitted to Kevin Hogg, Business and Infrastructure Analyst at Tūhoe Te Uru Taumatua June 2021 The colour palettes, maps and physical archives documented in this report have been produced by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective. Any reproduction of the material in this report must credit Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective as the artist/ resesarcher.
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments Report of findings: 2020/21 Mataaho Contributions
In 2020 Sarah Hudson was the recipient of the Mataaho Contributions, research funding from Tūhoe Te Uru Taumatua. This grant was created to generate research that will contribute to challenges that Tūhoe face as an iwi. This research funding was the first of its kind for Tūhoe Te Uru Taumatua, it was heartening for Sarah as a member of Kauae Raro Research Collective to be acknowledged in such a way, as the collective are ‘back-yard’ researchers who are not attached to any tertiary education institution. In the broad field of research, art-focused projects are often overlooked. It was significant for TuT to recognise the important role that visual culture can contribute to our Tūhoe cultural identity. Kauae Raro Research Collective put together a proposal to undertake a six-month survey of Tūhoe land to document the diversity of Tūhoe earth pigments. From December 2020 to May 2021, we spent time in the four wharua/ Tūhoe tribal authorities of Ruatāhuna, Rūātoki, Waikaremoana and Waimana. As stated in the Mataaho Contribution Agreement signed by Sarah Hudson (researcher) and Kirsti Luke (Cheif Executive of Tūhoe Te Uru Taumatua) on September 25th 2020; the following report outlines these three research outcomes:
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Surveying the variety of earth pigments in the Tūhoe rohe Mapping the variety of earth pigments available in the Tūhoe rohe Cataloguing the variety of earth pigments available in the Tūhoe rohe
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Table of contents: Introduction to project..............................................................................................................................................7 Ruatāhuna Colour survey................................................................................................................................................13 Map ..............................................................................................................................................................17 Catalogue of colours.....................................................................................................................................19 Rūātoki Colour survey................................................................................................................................................21 Map...............................................................................................................................................................25 Catalogue of colours.....................................................................................................................................27 Waikaremoana Colour survey................................................................................................................................................29 Map...............................................................................................................................................................33 Catalogue of colours.....................................................................................................................................35 Waimana Colour survey................................................................................................................................................37 Map...............................................................................................................................................................41 Catalogue of colours.....................................................................................................................................43 Future recommendations.......................................................................................................................................45
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments: Introduction
Kauae Raro research collective was established in 2019 by Sarah Hudson (Tūhoe: Hamua, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pūkeko), Lanae Cable (Tūhoe: Te Whakatāne, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Maru ki Hauraki) and Jordan Davey-Emms (Ngāti Pākehā). We came together with backgrounds in visual arts, pottery, research and rongoā Māori, driven by a strong sense of mana motuhake to re-learn and recreate the art materials and techniques of our tīpuna. We are passionate about developing our knowledge and spreading awareness around sustainable art practices. We believe that our haerenga to connect with the whenua will in turn give us a deeper connection to ngā Atua Māori and our taha Māori, specifically our Tūhoetana.
Our research consists of spending time on the whenua. Walking through, moving slowly and consciously, noting and noticing the variations of colour offered by Papatūānuku. If appropriate, natural resources are hand gathered with respect and gratitude, to process into a workable art material. We work in very small batches, with no waste – it is our intention to only take what we need from the whenua and use it very intentionally.
Kauae Raro Reseach Collective acknowledge our pursuits are made possible through the fruits of Papatūānuku, Hinetūparimaunga, Parawhenuamea, and Hineukurangi.
We see that the survey of Tūhoe earth colours and the initiation of a Tūhoe earth colour archive to be a resource for all Tūhoe. This can exist as a usable tool with innumerable applications for Tūhoe students, artists, designers and creatives to use in their respective fields. Our research practice models sustainable art making that develops a connection with the whenua and our tīpuna. We hope that this respect, humility and responsibility is carried through into the practices of anyone who wishes to engage with this project in the future.
During the time of our Mataaho Contributions research project, we conducted of a series of field trips which allowed us to survey and map the variety of colour available in te rohe pōtae o Tūhoe. These fieldtrips only scratched the surface of the spectrum of Tūhoe earth colours, but what we did find revealed individual colour collections for each of the four wharua.
The colour palettes, maps and physical archives documented in this report have been produced by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective. Any reproduction of the material in this report must credit Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective as the artist/ resesarcher.
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Tamariki-led field trip of Ruatāhuna stream 2020
Mana Tamariki As we traveled across the Tūhoe rohe, we met up with locals who generously shared their knowledge of the land with us. One of our research approaches is in the honouring of Mana Tamariki, acknowledging the power of the knowledge and experience that children hold. Whenever we talk to people about soil, it’s always the children who are closest to ‘getting it’ straight away. They know the bends on the river that have the smoothest clay or the squishiest mud. One kotiro from Ruatāhuna spread light grey clay on her face, referring to it as “Māori sunblock”. Another tamariki from Waikaremoana told us of a patch of mud that smells like “rust and chop-suey” which could indicate an iron-rich deposit. These intuitive, lived experiences of children are invaluable to our research. In fact, all of this ‘reconnecting’ with the whenua is very child-like. For research purposes, we allocate time to be more like kids, who are perhaps, more like our tīpuna. The kids we meet are physically in touch with nature, intuitively experimenting and using natural resources like our tīpuna once did. A perfect example of this is using earth as rongoā, applied to the skin as protection from the elements, this mātauranga has been handed down in pūrakau, and noted by ethnographers. We were also lucky enough to see it first hand in the embodied knowledge of our tamariki. We are grateful to all of the kids who revelled in sharing their knowledge of the taiao with us, without you, our reconnection with the whenua would not be the same. Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Whanganuioparua
Earth colour processing and presentation The colours on the folowing pages were gathered by hand in the taiao, dried and ground to a fine powder in a pestle and mortar. This powder, or earth pigment, is then mixed with either water, Kauri gum and honey, or; Linseed oil to make paint.
The water-based paint creates a colour close to what we can see in the taiao when the silts, soils and clays are dry. The oil-based paint creates a deeper colour, close to what wet silt, soil and clay looks like in nature. To express the variety of colour, digital samples have been taken from the physical paint tests. Displayed in this report are photographs of the paint test and a light, medium and dark digital paint sample.
The above image shows a photo of a paint test from soft rock from the Whanganuioparua Inlet at Waikaremoana. Water-based paint on the left, oil-based paint on the right. Below the photograph shows a digital spectrum of light, medium, dark from the photograph of the paint sample.
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Ngaputahi
Ruatāhuna Stream
Mimiha
Ruatāhuna Stream
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Mimiha
Ruatāhuna Stream
Ngaputahi
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of
Mimiha
Kauae
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Map of the junction of Mihiha and Waihou streams Sites earth pigments were gathered in Ruatāhuna: •
Ngāputahi
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Mimiha
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Ngamuriwai
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Te Ruatāhuna Stream
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Ōhinemataroa
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Okahu
All maps in this report are the artist’s interpretation of waterways where pigment was gathered for this project and were informed by images acquired via Google earth. 16
A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Physical catalogue of Ruatāhuna earth pigments gathered by Kauae Raro Reaserch Collective and submitted to Te Uru Taumatua June 2021.
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Ōhinenaenae
Kawekawe
Kawekawe
Kawekawe
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Compiled by Sarah Hudson
Kawekawe
Kawekawe
Tawera
Kawekawe
of Kauae
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Map of Ohinemataroa at Rūātoki Sites earth pigments were gathered in Rūātoki: •
Ohinenaenae
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Tawera
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Ōhinemataroa
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Kawekawe
All maps in this report are the artist’s interpretation of waterways where pigment was gathered for this project and were informed by images acquired via Google earth. 24
A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Physical catalogue of Rūātoki earth pigments gathered by Kauae Raro Reaserch Collective and submitted to Te Uru Taumatua June 2021.
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Whanganuioparua Bay
Whanganuioparua Bay
Whanganuioparua Bay
Whanganuioparua Bay
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Orangitutaetutu
Whanganuioparua Bay
Orangihikoia
Compiled by Sarah Hudson
Papakorito
of Kauae
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Map of Whanganuiparua Inlet Sites earth pigments were gathered in Waikaremoana: •
Orangihikoia Stream
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Orangitutaetutu Stream
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Whanganuioparua Inlet
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Opourou Bay
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Papakorito
All maps in this report are the artist’s interpretation of waterways where pigment was gathered for this project and were informed by images acquired via Google earth. 32
A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Physical catalogue of Waikaremoana earth pigments gathered by Kauae Raro Reaserch Collective and submitted to Te Uru Taumatua June 2021.
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Waimana/ Tauranga River Waimana Valley
Waimana/ Tauranga River Waimana Valley
Waimana/ Tauranga River Waimana Valley
Ngutuoha
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Waimana/ Tauranga River Waimana Valley
Omahuru
Waimana/ Tauranga River Waimana Valley
Compiled by Sarah
Ngutuoha
Hudson of Kauae
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Map of Waimana River Sites earth pigments were gathered in Waimana: •
Omahuru Campsite
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Omatumuna
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Ngutuoha
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Waimana River/ Tauranga River
All maps in this report are the artist’s interpretation of waterways where pigment was gathered for this project and were informed by images acquired via Google earth. 40
A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Physical catalogue of Waimana earth pigments gathered by Kauae Raro Reaserch Collective and submitted to Te Uru Taumatua June 2021.
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Opportunities for future use, for the benefit of the iwi: This project only scratched the surface of the colours in Te Urewera, the following are suggestions of strategies that could encourage an engaged collective reconnection of our Tūhoe earth colours. Strategy 1: Pigment Hunt Tamariki are first-hand experts when it comes to soils and clays. An annual or biennial pigment hunt could make for a great school holiday programme. This could be accessible to all ages - pakeke included! A rough outline could look like: • First week of the school holidays, a morning workshop introducing the colours that have been found in their wharua and how they can be processed to be turned into an art material. •
At the end of the first workshop, the participants are set a challenge.
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They’re given a week to gather earth pigment samples from the places they know.
• They need to collect at least two samples of each pigment - one for themselves to keep, the other to donate to a larger Tūhoe archive. •
They are given a set of 10 glass bottles, 10 identification tags to record and present their findings.
• Second week of the school holidays: second workshop. A group show and tell of the colours present in the wharua. • Spot prizes for most unique colour, colour matches from different areas, widest variety of colour collected etc. •
Earth pigment samples are collated, documented and held in a Tūhoe colour archive.
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This could also include follow up paint workshop building on the skills established the week before.
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Ōhinemataroa ki Ruatāhuna at the 2020 Kapa Haka Regionals (image from Māori Television)
Opportunities for future use, for the benefit of the iwi: This project only scratched the surface of the colours in Te Urewera, below are suggestions of strategies that could encourage an engaged collective reconnection of our Tūhoe earth colours.
Strategy 2: Natural paint for kapa haka For tangata whenua to adorn themselves with the whenua of which they belong to, is a way to visually represent one's embodiment of matemateāone. From the kōrero that we’ve heard during our research, Tūhoe have been leaders in the practice of wearing whenua during kapa haka competitions since Ruatāhuna competed in Auckland wearing kōkōwai in the 1990’s. Unfortunately, we’ve also heard of problems that kapa haka roopū have come up against using commercial paint to replicate earth colours, resulting in skin irritation, allergic reactions, and in some cases, chemical burns. There is potential for a series of wānanga in the lead-up to Te Hui Ahurei a Tūhoe that would share an insight into relearning the simple process of making paint from clay, soil and silt. It would be significantly influential for Tūhoe to employ a natural pigment stance at the Ahurei. I would recommend to supplement the presence of whenua on the stage, there could also be a hands-on information/ mahi toi tent. This would encourage tamariki to get involved and perhaps take this mātauranga back to their own kapa haka roopū, encouraging an intergenerational engagement with the colours our tīpuna had at their fingertips.
Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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A survey of Tūhoe earth pigments 2020/21
Opportunities for future use, for the benefit of the iwi: This project only scratched the surface of the colours in Te Urewera, below are suggestions of strategies that could encourage an engaged collective reconnection of our Tūhoe earth colours.
Strategy 3: Education resources An extension of this research could be the development of education resources for Tūhoe educators. Many tamariki have a natural affinity to this mahi; developing resources that help Tūhoe educators frame this mātauranga, through a Tūhoe lens could benefit our iwi through offering another way to reconnect with our Tūhoetanga. As an example, the above series of instructional images I created to encourage the use of natural earth pigments as paint. These resources were published for free online in March 2021 and have been used by professional artists, tertiary art students, kaiako and parents with their tamariki. Compiled by Sarah Hudson of Kauae Raro Research Collective
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