"Battle for Pihanga"
These 4 totem panels represent the four mountains. Taranaki (On the left, too prideful and on his own), Tongariro, Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe. The use of colours was to create a loud, violent juxtaposition to the organic and natural setting - representing a fierce battle and it's outcome. Referencing Maori art signifiers of strong line in kowhaiwhai and patterns in meeting houses at a traditional marae. These site specific works were finally completed once installed. Photos feature other art works by various artists who contributed to the UV zone display.
The Mount Taranaki legend:
(There are many variations of this legend/folk story - Do you know any? E-mail me at: [email protected] -- I would love to know about them - thank you!)
According to Māori belief, mountains were once gods and warriors of great strength. Tongariro was one of seven mountains that stood next to each other around Lake Taupo - New Zealand’s largest lake, and source of the Waikato river and spectacular Huka Falls. In the legend, all the mountains were male except for Pihanga. She was a stunning beauty, and the other mountains were deeply in love with her. One night, the mountains decided to fight for the right to win Pihanga. The warrior mountains fought fiercely with violent eruptions, smoke, fire and hot rocks that burned the sky for days. The land trembled and quaked under the force of their anger. When the fighting ceased, mighty Tongariro was the victor. Having won Pihanga’s devotion and the right to stand next to her, Tongariro became supreme leader of the land. The defeated warrior mountains were given the night to move away from the couple. At the dawn of the new day, they would be eternally fixed to the place where they rested. Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu moved off to a respectable distance, just to the south of Tongariro. Taranaki, consumed by anger, gouged a great trail in the earth as he moved west to a place where he now stands overlooking the ocean below. The trail he left behind was filled with tears cried for Pihanga, and became the great Whanganui River.
Resources:
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/whenua-how-the-land-was-shaped/page-4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Taranaki_legend
AUM LINKS:
http://www.aum.co.nz/visual-artists/#1
http://www.aum.co.nz/events/nye-festival-2016-seuss/
http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2016/aum-nye-2016-suess/auckland/parakai
The Mount Taranaki legend:
(There are many variations of this legend/folk story - Do you know any? E-mail me at: [email protected] -- I would love to know about them - thank you!)
According to Māori belief, mountains were once gods and warriors of great strength. Tongariro was one of seven mountains that stood next to each other around Lake Taupo - New Zealand’s largest lake, and source of the Waikato river and spectacular Huka Falls. In the legend, all the mountains were male except for Pihanga. She was a stunning beauty, and the other mountains were deeply in love with her. One night, the mountains decided to fight for the right to win Pihanga. The warrior mountains fought fiercely with violent eruptions, smoke, fire and hot rocks that burned the sky for days. The land trembled and quaked under the force of their anger. When the fighting ceased, mighty Tongariro was the victor. Having won Pihanga’s devotion and the right to stand next to her, Tongariro became supreme leader of the land. The defeated warrior mountains were given the night to move away from the couple. At the dawn of the new day, they would be eternally fixed to the place where they rested. Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu moved off to a respectable distance, just to the south of Tongariro. Taranaki, consumed by anger, gouged a great trail in the earth as he moved west to a place where he now stands overlooking the ocean below. The trail he left behind was filled with tears cried for Pihanga, and became the great Whanganui River.
Resources:
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/whenua-how-the-land-was-shaped/page-4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Taranaki_legend
AUM LINKS:
http://www.aum.co.nz/visual-artists/#1
http://www.aum.co.nz/events/nye-festival-2016-seuss/
http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2016/aum-nye-2016-suess/auckland/parakai
The following photographs are by Alex Discombe, from Eclectic Visions. Thank you so much for allowing me to use these photographs.
You can view more of the festival and the installed works by clicking here.