Whā nau ‘taking it hard’ after death
Big win for Māori artists in Venice
The children of a much-loved Northland police officer killed when hit by a passing car while out walking her dogs in Helena Bay says their mother “touched so many lives”.
Gail Shepherd, a constable at Houhora police station in the Far North, is being remembered as a “beautiful” mum and grandmother, and an “instrumental” member of the Tai Tōkerau community.
Shepherd died on Saturday while out walking after she was hit by a car that reportedly collided with a power pole.
Her daughter Tyme Rata and sons Herbert Junior Rata and Christopher Shepherd said their mum had touched so many people’s lives over the years, including through her job, waka hoe, sports and coaching.
“You were a caring daughter, a loving mother, a protective sister, an over-the-top dog owner and the best grandmother to your mokos.
“We will love and miss you forever and always.”
Her uncle, Joe Conrad, said her whānau were “taking it hard”.
“We’re all pretty well devastated. We never think something like this will happen to someone like that. “It hasn’t hit home yet.” Conrad said Shepherd had been a police officer for 15 years. She had links to Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kuri and Ngāti Hauā.
Born in Kaitāia, she started work in Whangārei before transferring to Kohukohu in Hokianga.
She took over the role at Houhora, New Zealand’s most northern police station, in the New Year from her brother, Senior Constable Leon Shepherd, who is known as “Smiley”.
Shepherd was staying with Conrad’s other niece for the weekend in Helena Bay to have a break, he said.
She had offered to take the dogs for a walk to the beach when the crash happened at the intersection of Webb Rd and Russell Rd around 3.15pm.
“Both of them have dogs, and while the other niece was cooking tea, Gail said I’ll take the dogs to the beach for a run.
“The car came round the corner and hit a power pole and ricocheted and hit Gail at the same time.”
Conrad is kaihautu [captain] of the world’s largest ceremonial waka, Ngā tokimatawhaorua, housed at Waitangi Treaty Grounds. He said Shepherd was involved in waka celebrations at Waitangi and “spent a lot of time with me on the waka”.
She was currently at Whangārei Hospital. The whānau were waiting for the Coroner before Shepherd would be taken to Te Kao marae in the Far North, he said.
Others are paying tribute to Shepherd on social media, including police colleague John Larkin.
Larkin said his “police sister” was instrumental in the Te Tai Tōkerau community, including with youth, netball, rugby, Blue Light, waka, and “so many other things”.
“She was a person who was true to herself and stood up for what she believed in and loved her family more than anything in the world.
“She was a genuine soul that will be sadly missed.”
A police spokesman said their hearts go out to their colleague’s family and friends who are receiving support. “Their passing is a tragic loss for our community and the impact will be keenly felt.”
An investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
NZ First MP Shane Jones, who lives in Northland and is a relative from Te Aupō uri tribe, extended his aroha to Shepherd’s parents, family, friends and colleagues. “A tragic event has taken our kahurangi [jewel] from whānau, iwi and the community.”
A collective of wā hine Mā ori artists has won a major award at the world’s premier international art festival, the Venice Biennale in Italy.
“We have dedicated our careers to collectivity and we are so grateful,” the wā hine wrote on social media.
Mataaho Collective received the highest prize, the Golden Lion, for the Best Participant in the International Exhibition, Stranieri Ovunque — Foreigners Everywhere, at the festival considered “the Olympics of the art world”.
The Mataaho Collective wā hine, who prefer to be known as a collective rather than individual artists, are Erena Baker (Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngā ti Toa Rangā tira), Sarah Hudson (Ngā ti Awa, Ngā i Tū hoe), Bridget Reweti (Ngā ti Ranginui, Ngā i Te Rangi) and Terri Te Tau (Rangitā ne ki Wairarapa).
The jury presenting them with the award referred to their work as “luminous”, “poetic” and “dazzling”, among other descriptions.
“The Mā ori Mataaho Collective has created a luminous woven structure of straps that poetically crisscross the gallery space. Referring to matrilinear traditions of textiles with its womblike cradle, the installation is both a cosmology and a shelter.
“Its impressive scale is a feat of engineering that was only made possibly by the collective strength and creativity of the group. The dazzling pattern of shadows cast on the walls and floor harks back to ancestral techniques and gestures to future uses of such techniques.”
Sharing the news of their award, Mataaho Collective offered a mihi to their whā nau, those who have inspired them and Mā ori and indigenous artists of the future.
“We have dedicated our careers to collectivity and we are so grateful. It doesn’t just feel like our award, but recognition of our supportive families, our visionary colleagues, our generous mentors and the indigenous artists of the future.”
Unveiling their work last week, they wrote: “We’re proud to be Mā ori, at home and on the world stage”.
Eight Mā ori artists are representing Aotearoa at the prestigious art festival. As well as Mataaho Collective, they include Sandy Adsett (Ngā ti Pahauwera), Brett Graham (Ngā ti Koroki Kahukura, Tainui), Fred Graham (Ngā ti Koroki Kahukura, Tainui) and Selwyn Te Ngareatua Wilson (Ngā ti Manu, Ngā ti Hine).