Artist’s statement
Mandy Sunlight
Tū is a women’s belt. Made of twelve finely plied cords of various colours, it is worn during pregnancy to support the heavily pregnant stomach and provide comfort for mother and baby. It is tied behind.
This work is inspired by an image from the Te Papa Tongarewa collection from the 1850’s.
Dive into the details
"Tu is a woman's belt. Made of twelve finely plied cords of various colours, it is worn during pregnancy to support the heavily pregnant stomach and provide comfort for mother and baby. It is tied behind. This work is inspired by an image from the Te Papa Tongarewa collection from the 1850's. Thanks to Matthew McIntyre Wilson who taught me the technique."
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.
