Artist’s statement
Ruth Port
Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri
These changing climatic times of floods, fires, cyclones and earthquakes have a profound effect on our environment.
This may limit the accessibility of fibre for weavers and can also have a huge impact on the quality.
In my works I have used Meaning Spike rush - Eleocharis sphacelata , Meaning Golden sand sedge - Ficinia spiralis and Meaning Freycinetia banksii that are not necessarily top quality to highlight the need to utilise all of our resources - they are precious and becoming increasingly hard to access and protect.
Hue pīngao
Ruth Port
Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri
Meaning Golden sand sedge - Ficinia spiralis grows between the realms of Meaning God of all bodies of water and Meaning God of the forest, birds and mankind Sometimes referred to as “Tāne’s eyebrows”, it is a connector of the water and earth elements.
My artwork depicts the use of this beautiful fibre that is not the typical bright golden yellow, but is still more than worthy of being utilised.
Hue kiekie
Ruth Port
Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri
Meaning Freycinetia banksii is considered to be the offspring of Meaning God of the forest, birds and mankind and therefore connects to the Meaning Land, earth, placenta element. It is a scrambling climber that forms thick growths on the forest floor and on the trunks of trees.
You often see it growing in the Meaning Forest a dark green colour with splotches of bright yellow. It is a beautiful soft, but strong fibre to work with.
Hue kuta
Ruth Port
Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri
Kuta is a tall grass-like plant found in freshwater habitats, thus connecting it to the waterways of Meaning God of all bodies of water .
It forms clumps of densely packed bright green or yellow stems. They are tubular with sections that are hollow, and these pockets of air within the leaves heat up with body contact, making the fibre perfect for waterproof cloaks.
The Meaning Spike rush - Eleocharis sphacelata utilised here is not necessarily top quality but still has its own beauty.
Essays
Explore in-depth writing about He Aa I Uta, He Aa I Tai: Weaving the Elements.
Whenu(a), Atua: Returning to Hine-te-iwaiwa through the maternal language of whatu
Dr Hinekura Smith (Te Rarawa, Nga Puhi)
1974 words
The language of weaving resonates deeply with the feminine and maternal body – as long as we use that language.
Ngaa ahuatanga marire mo te koiora - The Elementals essential for life
Ruth Port (Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri)
2950 words
A journey of re-connection and knowledge recovery as a group of weavers unravel long lost techniques used by Māori ancestral sail makers.
