Colourful artwork a crafty way to stay connected
Four thousand kilometres from their homes, art is keeping a collective of Cook Island women connected – to each other, their language and their ancestors.
At the weekend, they finished a two-month-long exhibition of their work titled ‘‘Raverave ia e te Rima Inangaro – Crafted with Love’’ – the first of its kind in Murihiku.
From today, some of their pieces will find new homes at the Waihōpai Rūnaka offices and He Waka Tuia art and museum space.
But it was the chance to share their craft and traditions with new generations from different cultures and backgrounds that was special to these mamas.
Because in Cook Island culture, creating art is a community affair.
As artist Mata Teariki explained: ‘‘We sit together, we gossip, we talk and laugh and sing, and eat.’’
And because skills are passed down from grandmother to mother to daughter, the act of creating together also connects women to those who taught them.
The exhibition was a chance for mamas living in Murihiku to keep the tradition alive, Teariki said.
‘‘Us women, we work to survive in this country. Getting the time to sit like this in a group is hard. It’s important to keep it alive, so we can keep connected. Regardless of what island we come from, we still come from the same country.’’
The exhibition featured ei katu (flower headpieces) and tivaivai pieces (sewing patchwork) and Teariki said it gave the group a sense of pride to be approached by other people who wanted to continue displaying their work.
Each artwork shared a glimpse into the artist’s personality, she said.
‘‘We’re vibrant people. We’re God-fearing. We’re cheeky. We love to sing. We’re resourceful. The colours show the vibrancy of the Cook Islands and how colourful we are as people.’’
The women hosted a series of workshops with school children and Teariki said it was an overwhelming experience to see how eager they were to get stuck in and learn.
The Mīharo Murihiku Trust invited the collective to showcase and teach their craft as this year’s senior artist exhibition.
Events and programme manager Tania Carran said the women were blown away by the wider Southland community wanting to learn more about their work.
‘‘The mamas have talked about the huge impact that this exhibition has had on them, the Cook Island community. I think they’ve been overwhelmed with the response.’’
‘‘The colours show the vibrancy of the Cook Islands and how colourful we are as people.’’ Mata Teariki