Hana, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Ōtautahi Christchurch, 2021

In concept and form, Hana illuminates and warms Te Pae. Even at night when the building is closed, Hana is aglow. ‘Hana’ means flame, glow and warmth and in this work speaks to the Whare of Te Pae and the ahi kā, keeping the home fire burning, keeping the building warm. The form is a translation of a floating tukutuku panel as a curtain made of beads and pounamu and suspended in a glow of light. Lit by LEDs that are housed in the support the beads suspend from. The supports are flowing forms that reference the koru and the backbone.  The main colour yellow references Te Ao Marama, the world of light and the living. Red and refers to Paptūānuku, and the whakapapa of Ngāi Tūāhuriri/Ngāi Tahu. The Pounamu references the Ngāi Tahu ancestor Pounamu and is a precious and spiritual  taonga to Ngāi Tūāhuriri/Ngāi Tahu. The figurative element of the whetu (stars) reference Raki’s cloak and Tane’s motivation and action to securing Te Wehinui-a-Maomao and other stars. All these references can be unpacked further to understand Ngāi Tūāhuriri/Ngāi Tahu values that underpin the world view.