‘My koha of aroha’
Hastings woman creates safe space for trauma healing in art exhibition
AHastings woman has found healing through turning her trauma into an immersive art space where she hopes others will too. “Aukati” means to create a boundary.
For Kezia Whakamoe, it’s s about creating a “safe space to grieve” and call herself home.
Incorporating aspects of ma¯ tauranga Ma¯ ori, the immersive art exhibition currently on display at Arts Inc Heretaunga focuses on creative healing ritual practices, body sovereignty, and the effects of ongoing embedded trauma lines.
It explores deep hurts and trauma such as sexual violence.
Whakamoe doesn’t describe herself as a victim or a survivor, but rather “someone who has come home”.
“I stand in my mana. This was my ultimate love story to myself.”
It was her way of telling herself, “come back, it’s safe”.
Started in 2018 as part of her master of Ma¯ori visual arts, she said it was the bravest thing she’d ever done.
It features a diverse range of mediums designed to challenge colonial institutes, art academics and tikanga Ma¯ori.
“I wanted the art world to see that this is Ma¯ori art.”
The range of mediums also reinforces the diversity of healing and addressing trauma.
“There’s no one way to do this,” Whakamoe said.
“One of the mediums is grief, the other is trust.
“There are safe spaces within ourselves that we can learn to trust ourselves when it comes to speaking about and dealing with trauma. “This is my koha of aroha.” Whakamoe said the exhibition was about addressing the elephant in the room and creating space to talk about sexual violence and trauma.
Entering the exhibition, people are met with a challenge from Hine-nuie-te-po¯, the goddess of night and death.
A soundtrack serves as a po¯ whiri, greeting guests as well as calling to Whakamoe.
The gallery walls are covered in mirrored wax encaustic paintings, which represent a meeting space.
In the centre, a variety of rongoa¯ and weavings are laid out in relation to compass points, with each direction tied to earth collected from
I stand in my mana. This was my ultimate love story to myself. Kezia Whakamoe
places of significance to Whakamoe, such as Te Urewera and Wellington.
Whakamoe acknowledged all who had helped her including Richard Nunns, Aroha Yates-Smith and Hirini Melbourne.
Birds feature heavily in the exhibition, both native and introduced species.
Aukati will run at Arts Inc Heretaunga until July 31.