The Newsletter

The Newsletter issue 6 – WINTER / TAKURUA 2014 Matariki Aratoi’s Matariki celebration programme features limited edition prints and original drawings by Bronwyn Waipuka-Callander. Bronwyn writes: Matariki is considered a primordial part of Māori culture, a significant time for Tangata Whenua to come together to reflect on the past and future. It symbolises rebirth, growth and togetherness, elements which are fundamental to our existence and connects us to Whenua ... our mother, Papatūānuku… Traditional Māori culture aligns women with Papatūānuku. Women are regarded as the bearer for the Iwi and its preservation, therefore to be protected and guarded with respect. Mana Whenua; Taku Kai, Taku Oranga can be seen as a celebration, as well as a tribute, to their roles as mothers, nurturers, life bearers and protectors of succeeding generations. ‘Kaitiaki o ngā Mana Whenua’ Bronwyn Waipuka-Callander Mana Whenua – Taku Kai, Taku Oranga 18 May-6 July 2014 Bronwyn Waipuka-Callander portrait 1, at her opening ‘Mana Whenua: Taku Kai-Taku Oranga,’ 18 May, with kids craft workshop. Photo: Anne Taylor Papatūānuku 1, 2014, limited edition digital print. In this issue Ο ART Board News 2 Ο Toi Wairarapa 5 Ο Coming Soon – Little Jewels 7 Ο From the Director 2 Ο Aratoi Retail 5 Ο News From the Friends 7 Ο Spotlight on the Collection 3 Ο The Friends of Aratoi 6 Ο Friends Committee 8 Ο Exhibition Update 4 Ο Art and Architecture Tour 6 Ο Exhibitions Calendar 8 The Newsletter From the Director ART Board News Kia ora and nau mai haere mai, welcome to Aratoi! Haere Rā We have had many exciting highlights over the past couple of The Aratoi Regional Trust board is very months. Aratoi hosted Yarns in Barns in late May with the extraordinary sorry to farewell Stephanie Turner, whose Mr Graham Brazier of Hello Sailor celebrating the life of band-mate contribution to the work of the Board Dave McCartney and the launch of Dave's sensational posthumous over many years has been immense. memoir Gutter Black; a heart-wrenching acoustic performance with She has been the iwi representative on moving readings on a particularly blustery evening. Aratoi since 2001 when she moved from ‘Miharo’ is how Mike Kawana described our opening Wellington to the Wairarapa to take on the role of Manager of King Street Art works. She came to weekend for Kiri Riwai-Couch and Bronwyn Waipuka-Callander’s Aratoi because "Koro Jim Rimene and the Board of Rangitāne ‘Mana Whenua-Taku Kai, Taku Oranga.’ The opening weekend Iwi asked me to be the iwi rep on Aratoi. I have stayed on for was amazing and it has been a privilege to host Bronwyn, Kiri so long only because they have asked me to remain in this and their whanau. This Matariki celebrates Papatūānuku and role for them. The last ten years has seen Iwi undertake both Mana Wahine as Aratoi has never done before, highlighting the the day to day work of an Iwi Runanga and the enormous task connections between people, land, culture and environment, as of managing, coordinating and researching their own Treaty we negotiate a sustainable future and create pathways for the claim. So keeping this seat warm and providing leadership young. Bronwyn completed her installation with work done with on their behalf has been about making sure they had one less kids at her workshop, and Kiri’s guest performers tore the roof thing to worry about. My role on the Board was to provide off with waiata! Kiri’s brother ended up stealing the whole show. advice and leadership on behalf of both Rangitāne o Wairarapa Dressed in a 1940s airforce uniform complete with pilot cap and and Ngāti Kahungunu Ki Wairarapa." Stephanie has worked in both the arts and health sectors. blue suitcase he surprised his girlfriend (also in 1940s dress) with a While working at the Wellington Art Centre learning traditional marriage proposal , then rushed into my office to tell her parents. weaving she got involved with the first Māori theatre troupe in For the first time Aratoi has been successful in a major Creative New Aotearoa, Te Ohu Whakaari and attended New Zealand Drama Zealand Arts Award grant in support of the forthcoming exhibition school in the mid 80s. "I have been privileged to work with a Milan Mrkusich: Chromatic Investigations which I am curating. wide range of Māori artists, writers and filmmakers over the Iconic New Zealand architect Ian and his wife Claire Athfield years and have strong Māori arts networks." She is passionate have generously offered a unique Hopkinson hand-crafted grand about Māori & Pacific Arts development, and believes creativity piano to the collection (photos below). Originally commissioned and the arts support the health and wellbeing of communities. by the Williams family before they emigrated from the UK Currently Stephanie works in the health sector as the Director probably in the 1880s, the piano was kept at their Wairarapa Māori Health & Disability for Mid Central District Health Board. residence. Newly married Claire and Ian purchased the piano in She was the Director Māori Health for Wairarapa DHB for a number of years but has just recently left to take up this newly Masterton around 1967. The mahogany piano is one of the largest established role based in Palmerston North. grand pianos in New Zealand and has been the centrepiece at In all her roles, Stephanie believes that an "understanding many parties and functions as well as appearing in a well-known of whakapapa in its broadest sense is important. The concept advertisement in the early 80s. This magnificent colonial object of relatedness or the belief that all elements of life are would fetch a fair sum in London. Aratoi hopes to be able to interconnected is fundamental to have the piano on view before too long. We are immensely wellbeing, and both personal and grateful to Claire and Ian Athfield for this important gift. In other collective accountabilities with people exciting news, Māori Television visited to film Lindauer’s portrait and the environment. The stories of our of Ngatuere Tāwhirimātea Tāwhao in the collection store for an tipuna also taught me that knowledge episode of ‘Behind the Brush’ before interviewing descendant comes in many shapes and forms, from Paora Ammunson at Papawai marae. story to pictures, to people, to songs." Haere rā Stephanie, we will miss Rhondda Grieg gave a beautiful tribute you. to departing friends Pat White and Catherine Day who will be missed. Frazer Mailman We look forward to your visit again ART Chair soon as we open our new exhibitions including the popular touring exhibition, The Imaginative Life of Graham Percy – ka kite anō. Alice Hutchison 2 Spotlight on the Collection A new taonga for the collection This toki/adze, of polished fine grained argillite, was found on the Lake Ōnoke beach front in May. It measures 310mm x 50mm x 100mm. Further research will be undertaken on this exciting new find in consultation with archaeologists and it has now been added to the National register. The Ministry of Arts, Culture & Heritage has been notified of the find, and the toki is now at Aratoi awaiting the results. What’s the time, Mr Wolf? If anyone was watching the Antiques Roadshow on 1 June, they may have seen an 18th century clock that had suffered fire damage, but which still had a good story to tell. It was a tavern clock, sometimes known as an Act of Parliament Parliamentary Collection in Wellington, restored and still keeping clock. We have one just like it in the collection, which has also time; one is at Aratoi and the other is we know not where. suffered over its long life, but has not been in close contact with They are quite rare, and a good one is worth £16,000. One a fire as yet. day we may be able to restore ours and have it somewhere in the Made from about 1720, these clocks were mostly for public building, measuring out the hours and days of modern life. places like taverns, where they would have been useful not only for telling patrons it was time to go home, but also for coach drivers, as taverns were often staging posts for the picking up and setting down of passengers. The clocks’ faces were large and not glass- covered, so there were no reflections to obscure the hour. The cases were decorated with gilt Chinoiserie images, and usually with the maker’s name prominent under or on the face. In the 1790s, Parliament imposed a tax on all clocks and watches to raise money to resist Napoleon’s relentless progress. The tax was abandoned after nine months as being an extremely bad idea – the populace stopped buying clocks and watches, clockmakers were driven out of business and people relied on the tavern clocks to know what time it was, probably to the benefit of the inn-keepers. The clock in the Aratoi collection was given to the people of Masterton by the Caselberg family, who owned three of these clocks. One is now in the 3 The Newsletter EXHIBITION UPDATE The Imaginative Life and Times of Graham Percy – to 10 August 2014 ‘A micronaut in the wide world’ rediscovers the life and work of one of New Zealand’s most celebrated illustrators. In an obituary published in January 2008, The Guardian described him as: a cerebral illustrator – that is to say he worked pictures out, did not expect them to flow from the hand. His craftsmanship – the later work was mostly done with coloured pencils – was perfect. The roots of his style can be seen most clearly in the illustrations of Heath Robinson.

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