He Whakairoiro Taiao

Recently I’ve been reflecting on the research I’ve done to find the dye potential of our native trees and I came across this newsletter I sent out to my supporters. six years ago. It made me realise how much I have already achieved. We often forget to look back and just reflect. So I did that today and enjoyed this read. I hope you enjoy too. (edited for relevance)

karo seeds breaking down in to the whenua

He whakairoiro taiao - He rau māroharoha - E kore e taea te karo - Harete

Recently I began a creative research project. exploring the botanical dye potential of native trees in my garden. I'm in the research stage at the moment but I'm also thinking about how I will create art works that use ONLY these native trees.

Thank-you to all those who have wrapped their arms around this project - while the window is small (four months), and just a beginning, my passion for this knowledge is huge and the journey so far has led me to new growth, while keeping my feet firmly planted alongside the trees and their roots, it's all relevant.

The whakatauki (proverb) that I share above, is one I created while exploring the plant in the image - karo (pittosporum crassifolium). Because part of my research is also about exploring through the eyes and lens of te ao Māori, te reo me ōna tikanga. It expresses my absolute love for our taiao, the beauty that is captured through my lens and that feeling I get when I lock in with my camera -  to that light, that desire. It's a feeling. That light is a feeling, a connection that can't be stopped - e kore e taea te karo. I must capture it.

And I ask myself these questions:
How did our tūpuna use these trees?
What is their medicine?
What is their dye potential?
Is there ritual and ceremony connected to these rākau? What colour can I extract from this tree and how will I utilise it?

How will I share this knowledge?

I'm an artist, and while research can often be associated with an academic pathway, this is not. This project draws primarily on my connection to the rākau first - through my observations and my camera lens. What do I see, hear, feel, touch, smell? What is there, but can't be seen? How do I capture the spirit of this rākau in my photographs in order to understand this tree and my connection to it? How do I capture all of that in words?

I've had some of these trees in my garden for over 10 years so the connection is already strong, but when I'm using the rākau, there is always acknowledgement first. 

And then a little later, the fun part of experimenting with the trees themselves - seeds, flowers, bark, branches, leaves, roots - all parts of the plant to be used.

Again, I'm incredibly grateful to have this opportunity, to have time dedicated to something I am passionate about, to get a foot up on what I believe will be an ongoing project for many years to come! I'm so excited about that because my ultimate goal is to be creating with nature - 100%, to honour the earth and the environment, to look after what we have and ensure that it remains for generations to come. And to share this knowledge!