Te oorokohanga mai o te tangi o te mooteatea

In November 1863, warriors of the Kiingitanga defended Rangiriri against invading British colonial forces. In November 2023, Ngamako Rota assembled an all-wahine ensemble to welcome whaanau and guests at the trenches in Rangiriri. Te oorokohanga mai o te tangi o te mooteatea attends to the entanglement of waiata, te reo o te taiao, forms of mourning, and the ongoing violence of colonial histories in the contemporary.

The two films in the exhibition are records of this experience at Rangiriri. Together, they build on the whakapapa of mooteatea, and connect its frequencies to the sonic motion of iro and ngaro. Te Aao Maarama and E Rongo e are simultaneous events. Ngamako receives her moko kauae in the manawa of the space; the performers, atop the trenches, etch the dirt and move as iro, then shed their outer layers to metamorphose into ngaro as another expression of meaning.

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Ngamako Rota (Waikato, Ngaati Mahuta) is an artist, actor and director from Rangiriri. Ngamako holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts from Toi Whakaari (2019) and graduated from Elam School of Fine Arts with an MFA in 2023. She was the recipient of a Māoriland Pitch Award in 2021 and a Ngā Manu Pīrere Award in 2022.

Ngā mihi nui ki Te Puna o Waiwhetū Christchurch Art Gallery for their partnership for this exhibition.

Filmed by: Julian James Brown
Taamoko Artist: Patrick Takoko
Edited by: Ngamako Rota
Produced by: Kasi Valu
Performers: Ngawai Hono i te Poo Paki (Noo ngaa Iwi katoa o te motu), Rosie Belvie (Te Arawa Whaanui, Ngaati Rangitihi, Whakatoohea), Puahaere Vaka (Waikato, Ngaati Mahuta), Turia Schmidt-Peke (Ngaati Hauaa, Ngaati Tamateraa, Ngaati Raukawa, Haamoa), Renata Te Wano (Ngaati Tuuwharetoa /Waikato), Ngakirikiri Kershaw (Ngaati Ruanui, Ngaati Tupito, Waikato, Ngaati Tahinga, Te Rarawa, Ngaati Tamatea), Rangitaa Nepe Pohatu (Waikato, Ngaati Mahuta), Ngamako Rota (Waikato, Ngaati Mahuta), Neen Kapea (Ngaati Hauaa, Ngaati Ranginui, Waikato, Ngaati Mahanga), Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke (Nga Puhi, Waikato, Taranaki, Ngati Porou, Ngai Tahu), Tioreore Ngatai Melborne (Ngaati Porou, Te Whaanau o Hinerupe)