{"title":"Aotearoa Collection","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"original-pohutukawa-kiwiana","title":"(Original) Pohutukawa Kiwiana","description":"Dimensions: 9x12 inches\nOrientation: Portrait\nMedium: Oil Pastel.","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43685151735867,"sku":"K771584","price":150.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/pohutakawa-web.png?v=1782190262"},{"product_id":"10x20-wairua-print","title":"10x20 Wairua Print","description":"Print on fine art paper.\nDimensions: 10x20 inches.","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43685151637563,"sku":"4833309","price":70.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/wairua-web.png?v=1782190036"},{"product_id":"10x10-te-waka-o-te-hekenga-print","title":"'Te Waka o te Hekenga' (New Version) Fine Art Print","description":"\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTe Waka o Te Hekenga\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThe Canoe of Migration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThis piece tells the story of my journey as an immigrant to Canada. I arrived in 2019 and now live in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ePort Coquitlam with my husband, where I’ve found a sense of home surrounded by some of the best \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003esunsets, mountains and trails. When I think of my time in Canada, I not only think of the magnificent \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003enature, but how it has helped shape me.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eI am of Māori descent, Indigenous to Aotearoa New Zealand, and carry with me a deep sense of whakapapa, which means genealogy, connection, and ancestral memory. My art draws on the symbolism based on values of my people and is layered with my experience of migration to new land.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eAt the centre of this work is a waka, a traditional Māori canoe. The waka symbolises migration and the voyages of my ancestors, who travelled across the vast Pacific Ocean from Polynesia to Aotearoa \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eNew Zealand. Waka were once war vessels, but they also hold stories of endurance and discovery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThis is my waka to Canada.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThe mountains and hills are the embodiment of earth. They represent grounding, strength, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ewhenua - the Māori word for land, which also means placenta, signifying the deep relationship \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ebetween people and place. These mountains remind me of the landscape that welcomed me and the stability I sought. Water flows throughout the piece in the form of koru, which signifies the fern, and the mangopare, which represents the hammerhead shark. These traditional designs speak to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003estrength, courage, tenacity and leadership. Water was ever-present in my early years in Canada as I endured many struggles. The mangopare carries my determination to adapt and grow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThe sunset is painted in fiery swirls that blend yellow, orange, red, and purple. These flames are made of koru, which in Māori culture symbolise peace, renewal and new beginnings. The patterns also incorporate niho taniwha, a triangular spearhead motif that stands for protection and resilience. Fire here represents the power of letting go of the past and facing the future with clarity and strength.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eAbove the waka, birds fly through the mountains and hills They represent wairua (air) - the spirit and the breath of life. The sky and wind carry memory and guidance, just as my ancestors carried me forward. These manu, or birds, are the presence of migration and hope. The waka itself has symbolic details: pāua shell (abalone) shines on the taurapa (stern), showing beauty and inner strength; a tiki rests at the tauihu (bow), offering ancestral protection; and a koru design is painted into the stern which shows unity and renewal. These elements come together as both literal and spiritual markers \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eof identity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThis work is a tribute to my whakapapa, my ancestors, and the land I now call home. It honours both \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ethe traditions I carry with me and the kʷikʷəƛ̓̓əm First Nation land I live upon. This piece speaks to the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ebeauty and challenge of migration, and how movement across oceans can become a powerful act of connection. This is my waka to Canada.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e10x10 inches. (9x9 with 1 inch border)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eGiclee print\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\"\u003ePrinted on Archival Matte Fine Art Paper\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e230 gsm, 9.5 mil, 0.24 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eMatte finish\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhite border for easy framing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"10x10","offer_id":43789344079931,"sku":"285965X","price":40.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x20","offer_id":43789344538683,"sku":null,"price":80.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/te-waka-print-1_232a3142-371d-4c5c-9f14-0b125756b796.png?v=1784093307"},{"product_id":"original-te-mana-o-te-tiki-the-power-of-the-tiki","title":"(Original) Te Mana o te Tiki (The Power of the Tiki)","description":"Dimensions: 30x40 inches\nOrientation: Portrait\nMedium: Oil Pastel, Acrylic.","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43685151768635,"sku":"Q773084","price":1600.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/Te-Mana-O-Te-Tiki-WEBFRIENDLY_1af3fc15-8b91-40e8-8658-ae4ff6ef0bf1.png?v=1782190132"},{"product_id":"30x40-power-of-the-tiki-print","title":"30x40 Power of the Tiki Print","description":"Fine Art Print.\nDimensions: 30x40 inches\nOrientation: Portrait","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43685151834171,"sku":"833061G","price":350.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/Te-Mana-O-Te-Tiki-WEBFRIENDLY.png?v=1782190089"},{"product_id":"12x24-wairua-print","title":"'Wairua' Fine Art Print","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWairua (soul)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eWairua\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a reflection on the spirit that lives within us. The breath emerging from the person represents the life force we carry, intertwined with Māori-inspired patterns that speak to connection, ancestry, and belonging. While breath is something we cannot hold, it is something that connects us all. This piece explores the idea that our wairua carries the echoes of those who came before us and the energy we leave behind.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions available:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e10x20 inches\u003cbr\u003e12x24 inches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e10\"x20\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e10\"x20\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGiclee print\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrinted on \u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eCold Press Textured Matte Fine Art Paper\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003e340 gsm, 21 mil, 0.53 mm\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMatte finish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e12\"x24\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e12x24 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eGiclee print\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrinted using Epson Ultrachrome Pro 12 colour inks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e308 GSM cotton fine-art photo rag manufactured in Germany\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExcellent print longevity, rated for 200 plus years fade resistance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEco friendly: water based non-toxic inks printed on FSC certified photo paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"10x20","offer_id":43743448531003,"sku":"N807431","price":70.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x24","offer_id":43743448563771,"sku":"N807432","price":90.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/wairua-web-print.png?v=1784322209"},{"product_id":"40x40-whenua-original","title":"Whenua (Original)","description":"\u003cp\u003eDimensions: 40x40 inches\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrientation: Square\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMedium: Acrylic, Alcohol Ink.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhenua\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhenua is a deeply personal reflection on ancestry, identity, and my connection to the land. The central figure was inspired by my great-great-great-great grandmother, imagined as an ancestral presence connected to the earth itself. I wanted her to feel timeless, both human and landscape, as though she carries generations within her body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe piece is grounded in the Māori concept of “whenua,” meaning both land and placenta. That dual meaning became the foundation of this work. The roots beneath the woman symbolise whakapapa and the unseen ties between ancestors, body and place. They spread through the earth like veins which I see as nourishment, memory, and continuity across generations. I wanted the roots to feel alive, as though ancestry itself is embedded in the land.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mountain behind her represents Mt. Taranaki, connecting the work to my whakapapa and family origins in the Taranaki region of Aotearoa. Rather than placing the mountain as a background element, I wanted it to feel like an extension of the figure herself. I wanted her to be shown as protective and grounding and alive. The mountain becomes both ancestor and whenua, watching over the figure while also growing from her presence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe surrounding native flora, particularly pōhutukawa and kōwhai, reflects resilience, remembrance and connection to Aotearoa’s natural environment. The vivid red pohutukawa bring warmth and vitality into the composition while also symbolising endurance and life force.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough colour, texture, and Māori symbolism, Whenua explores the idea that identity is never separate from land, ancestry, and the generations that came before us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a 40x40 inch piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43685151932475,"sku":"H442457","price":1600.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/Whenua-40x40.jpg?v=1782189988"},{"product_id":"9x12-pohutakawa-kiwiana-print","title":"'Pohutukawa Kiwiana' Fine Art Print","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePōhutukawa Kiwiana\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"984\" data-end=\"1004\"\u003ePōhutukawa Kiwiana\u003c\/em\u003e celebrates the incredible diversity of New Zealand's native flora. Featuring pōhutukawa, poroporo, karo, and puawānanga, each plant has its own place within Aotearoa's ecosystems and cultural landscape. Together they form a bright, contemporary pattern that honours the beauty of New Zealand's natural heritage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e9x12 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrinted with Indigo 7600 using HP ElectroInk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e150 gsm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSatin finish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43743409635387,"sku":"Y865531","price":20.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/pohutakawa-print_8dcb1fb2-27c9-4058-af04-3cddd9273019.png?v=1784093540"},{"product_id":"9x12-power-of-the-tiki-print","title":"'Te Mana o te Tiki (Power of the Tiki)' Fine Art Print","description":"\u003cp\u003ePrint on fine art paper. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9\"x12\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e9x12 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrinted with Indigo 7600 using HP ElectroInk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e150 gsm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSatin finish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e30\"x40\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGiclee print\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrinted using Epson Ultrachrome Pro 12 colour inks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e308 GSM cotton fine-art photo rag manufactured in Germany\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExcellent print longevity, rated for 200 plus years fade resistance\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEco friendly: water based non-toxic inks printed on FSC certified photo paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"9\"x12\"","offer_id":43743398658107,"sku":"V084687","price":20.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"30\"x40\"","offer_id":43743398690875,"sku":"V084688","price":150.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/Te-Mana-print-website.png?v=1784266022"},{"product_id":"te-waka-o-te-hekenga-2025-version-fine-art-print","title":"'Te Waka o te Hekenga' (2025 Version) Fine Art Print","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eDiscounted as it is discontinued.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTe Waka o Te Hekenga\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThe Canoe of Migration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThis piece tells the story of my journey as an immigrant to Canada. I arrived in 2019 and now live in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ePort Coquitlam with my husband, where I’ve found a sense of home surrounded by some of the best \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003esunsets, mountains and trails. When I think of my time in Canada, I not only think of the magnificent \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003enature, but how it has helped shape me.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eI am of Māori descent, Indigenous to Aotearoa New Zealand, and carry with me a deep sense of whakapapa, which means genealogy, connection, and ancestral memory. My art draws on the symbolism based on values of my people and is layered with my experience of migration to new land.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eAt the centre of this work is a waka, a traditional Māori canoe. The waka symbolises migration and the voyages of my ancestors, who travelled across the vast Pacific Ocean from Polynesia to Aotearoa \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eNew Zealand. Waka were once war vessels, but they also hold stories of endurance and discovery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThis is my waka to Canada.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThe mountains and hills are the embodiment of earth. They represent grounding, strength, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ewhenua - the Māori word for land, which also means placenta, signifying the deep relationship \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ebetween people and place. These mountains remind me of the landscape that welcomed me and the stability I sought. Water flows throughout the piece in the form of koru, which signifies the fern, and the mangopare, which represents the hammerhead shark. These traditional designs speak to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003estrength, courage, tenacity and leadership. Water was ever-present in my early years in Canada as I endured many struggles. The mangopare carries my determination to adapt and grow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThe sunset is painted in fiery swirls that blend yellow, orange, red, and purple. These flames are made of koru, which in Māori culture symbolise peace, renewal and new beginnings. The patterns also incorporate niho taniwha, a triangular spearhead motif that stands for protection and resilience. Fire here represents the power of letting go of the past and facing the future with clarity and strength.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eAbove the waka, birds fly through the mountains and hills They represent wairua (air) - the spirit and the breath of life. The sky and wind carry memory and guidance, just as my ancestors carried me forward. These manu, or birds, are the presence of migration and hope. The waka itself has symbolic details: pāua shell (abalone) shines on the taurapa (stern), showing beauty and inner strength; a tiki rests at the tauihu (bow), offering ancestral protection; and a koru design is painted into the stern which shows unity and renewal. These elements come together as both literal and spiritual markers \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eof identity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA block-font-kerning-none block-font-feature-liga-off block-font-feature-clig-off block-font-feature-calt-off direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003eThis work is a tribute to my whakapapa, my ancestors, and the land I now call home. It honours both \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ethe traditions I carry with me and the kʷikʷəƛ̓̓əm First Nation land I live upon. This piece speaks to the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003ebeauty and challenge of migration, and how movement across oceans can become a powerful act of connection. This is my waka to Canada.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetails:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e10x10 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrinted with Indigo 7600 using HP ElectroInk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e150 gsm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSatin finish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43743451938875,"sku":"285966X","price":20.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0681\/6563\/2059\/files\/te-waka-old_5c4f0038-8c9b-450e-875b-40ec458382fc.png?v=1784265114"}],"url":"https:\/\/tessiebubbleart.myshopify.com\/collections\/aotearoa-collection.oembed","provider":"Tessiebubble Art Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}