Antarctica gets first M¯aori carvings
Two Ma¯ ori carvers have installed traditional carvings at Scott Base, Antarctica, as part of a programme incorporating Ma¯ ori knowledge into scientific research.
Each carving, about two metres tall, was installed around the inside of the door to the New Zealand headquarters in Antarctica.
Carvers Poutama Hetaraka, of Wha¯ ngarei, and James York, of Colac Bay, Southland, flew on Waitangi Day to install the final design.
The carvings offer a
Ma¯ tauranga Ma¯ ori – Ma¯ ori knowledge – perspective to Niwa’s scientific monitoring research being conducted in the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area, which was established just over a year ago.
The two carvers worked closely throughout the project, despite living at almost direct opposite ends of the country.
Hetaraka was responsible for the side frames of the doorway, called whakawae, which were carved at the Hihiaua Cultural Centre in Whanga¯ rei.
York carved the piece that crosses the top of the doorway, called a pare, in Southland.
Hetaraka said the carvings symbolised not just Maori knowledge but indigenous knowledge in general.
Antarctica is governed by a treaty and is shared with other countries, with lots of other indigenous people, he said.
He hoped Ma¯ tauranga Ma¯ ori would become more embedded in conversations about environmental management of the Earth, and Antarctica in particular. ‘‘Each and every one of us individuals need to pay attention to and listen to our environment,’’ he said.
The two carvings are the first traditional Ma¯ ori carvings on the continent and were created as part of the Antarctica New Zealand Community Engagement Programme.
The carvings will be kept indoors because the environment is so dry and cold, it would split the wood.