Activity A: Mana motuhake in action
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He pitopito kōrero All across Aotearoa there are magnificent examples of individuals, hapū and iwi enhancing the mana and hauora of what it is to be Māori in relationship with te taiao. Environmental justice is social justice. The uara, or values that underpin a thriving relationship with te taiao – wairua, whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, mauri, mana, aroha, and rangatiratanga provide anchor points for thriving relationships between people too. Whether it is through te reo Māori, kapa haka, the arts, or community projects, hapū and iwi across Aotearoa are demonstrating through action the wisdom, innovation, and commitment to lead the way forward to a thriving future for us all. |
Hat pin card, 2022, by Tāme Iti (Ngāi Tūhoe, Waikato, Te Arawa), Te Mira collective. Purchased 2022. Te Papa (GH026279/2)
In 2022, activist and artist Tāme Iti (Ngāi Tūhoe, Waikato, Te Arawa) staged a provocative multi-media installation and performance I Will Not Speak Māori in Wellington. It told his story of te reo Māori – from a boy punished for speaking te reo in school; to a young activist in Ngā Tamatoa whose members fought for language and land rights; to an artist, performer and kaumātua.
I Will Not Speak Māori marked the 50th anniversary of Te Petihana Te Reo Māori (Maori language petition) which was delivered to Parliament on 14 September 1972. The Māori language petition was organised by Ngā Tamatoa and Te Reo Māori Society, with help from Te Huinga Rangatahi, the New Zealand Māori Students’ Association to gather the signatures. The petition called for te reo Māori to be taught in all schools. Tāme Iti helped deliver the petition in 1972.
Two pins were made to support the installation: this hat pin and a 'I Will Speak Māori' pin. The hat pin is embedded with ‘Iti’ in the hat band and represents how Tame styles himself strategically through dress.
Tāme Iti calls himself an art artivist – an artist committed to social action.
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Discuss: What environmental justice issue exists in your community? Are there activists in your area already doing this work? How can you help their cause? If there aren’t activists already working on this environmental justice issue, what could you do to mobilise people in your community around this? |
Tāme Iti uses costume and symbolism to powerful effect in his work. Consider the environmental justice issue that you have discussed above. What symbols or costumes could you adopt to bring attention to this cause? What slogans or actions could you plan?
Watch What is protest art? from Tate Kids in London which highlights four protest artists and their practices.
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Discuss:
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Hikoi for Ihumātao poster, 2019, by Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho (Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Kahungungu). Gift of anonymous donor, 2021. Te Papa (GH025893)
This poster was made to support the Ihumātao land movement. Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho (Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Kahungungu) is a takatāpui artist who draws on their Māori and queer identities to relate to this contemporary world. Explore their instagram page and discuss the way in which they communicate powerful ideas through symbolism and colour use.
Using the environmental justice issue that you have already identified as most urgent in your community, design posters that specifically draw on colour, symbols, and imagery.