Ahikāroa. – ‘Keep It Lit’, 2021
Overall dimensions 2000 x 2000 x 400 mm
(29 pieces) plywood, styrene, paint
P.O.A
Ahikāroa; mana whenua, mana Māori, mana motuhake. Ahikāroa 2021 was first conceived for exhibition in Moemoeā and created with the support of national funding body Creative New Zealand
Ahikāroa, Māori concept of title to land through the ‘burning fires of occupation’, imagines a natural progression of an alternative New Zealand post-colonial history, one of Māori visual narrative and architectural dominance. ‘Keep it lit’, reminds us to continue bringing to the fore of National and cultural identity, our Māori visual cultural inheritance.
The term ‘Ahikāroa’ translates as; ahi - fire, kā - burning, roa - long. In every Māori village there was at least one fire that was kept burning at all times, being there was no matches, it was extremely important that each whanau group maintain their fire, night and day. Fire was a gift from Mahuikā, a sign of life and a symbol of mana whenua, the stories and the people. Ahikāroa was the closest understanding Māori had of land ownership.
An Empire of landscape is evidenced in the ongoing ascendancy of western architectural dominance in Aotearoa which prioritises, in the Nations’ psyche, the traditions, stories and histories of the dominant western traditions, to the detriment of indigenous identity.
Ahikāroa Imagines an alternative Māori reality that claims common acceptance of Māori historical narrative in books, games and dominant visual culture. Ahikāroa casually accepts Māori architectural dominance, designed in part around a popular New Zealand board game ‘Cathedral’.
Developed as a game in 1962 by Bob Moore, a young pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force at Wigram Air Base in Christchurch, from finding the Christchurch Cathedral an easy landmark during his training exercises. The game works to capture territory to allow you to place all of your game pieces, while preventing your opponent from doing likewise.
"Ahikāroa - Keep it Lit” 2022
1000 x 1500 x 200mm installed
(29 pieces) 3D printed (PLA) plastic
P.O.A
Ahikāroa ‘Keep it Lit’ 2022 explores 3D printed media based on the original iteration of the sculpture and was a Molly Morpeth Canaday 3D Award Finalist in 2022.
The work explores the Maori concept of title to land through the ‘burning fires of occupation’. The elements are a reclamation of the New Zealand wooden board game Cathedral (designed by Bob Moore 1962, modelled on the Christchurch cathedral) but with each game piece paying tribute to significant Māori architectural buildings.
The centrepiece is Mataatua wharenui, the pride of Māori of this region, that defied a troubled history up until its return by the Government. Mataatua Wharenui stands in place of the Cathedral, re-establishing mana whenua, as Ahikāroa imagines an alternative post-colonial history, one of Māori dominance of the visual narrative and architecture.
When presented with the playing board, Ahikāroa can be played. The architecture represented includes;
Ngā Whaihanga Māori (Māori buildings)
Mataatua Wharenui - ‘the house that came home’
Te Temepera o Ratana Wharekai + Wharepaku
Miringa Te Karaka Wharenui + Wharekōrero
Tūrongo Whare Wharewaka
Tūrangawaewae Whare Wharepuni
Tapu Te Ranga Marae pātaka
Hīona (Zion) Rua Kenana
More info:
https://www.mollymorpethcanaday.co.nz/mmca-3d-2022.html
https://issuu.com/mmca2021/docs/mmca_2022_winners_catalogue_final_nomarks
http://www.cathedral-game.co.nz/