“Ngāi Tahu people were travellers, traversing the long coastlines, mountain ranges and waterways across Te Wai Pounamu [the South Island of New Zealand]” reflects Paemanu chair, Kiri Jarden.
“Knowledge of the land, climate, creatures and resources of this long Pacific island followed this way of life and allowed space and time for gathering and preserving and for creativity.”
more than 300 artists.
“We have always been inspired by ana whakairo, the rock art which is found across the island with significant sites in close proximity to our awa, the Waitaki River” says artist Ross Hemera, pou tokomanawa for Paemanu.
“I grew up there, and spent hours drawing and exploring the ana whakairo as a young fella.”
Paemanu formed in 2013 and has exhibited at several major events and art institutions in the South Island.
In 2015 the group exhibited at Te Matatini and in 2021 their exhibition Tauraka Toi saw the group take over the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
“Ahead of this exhibition in Brisbane, which is our first international project, we asked ourselves, how do we act as good manuhiri [guests] when visiting another land?” Jarden said.
“We want to acknowledge the Turrbal and Yaggera peoples, the original custodians of the Brisbane, and find the things that connect us – the land and the river while also sharing some of those things which are important to us like whakapapa, mahinga kai, manaakitanga and kai hau kai.”
Paemanu: Awa Toi will feature work from over 40 Ngāi Tahu artists
