The University of Auckland Celebrates Matariki

I Te Timatanga: The Foundations of Contemporary Maori Art
Professor Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (Ngapuhi, Te Aupouri, Ngati Kuri), Head of Elam School of Fine Arts, The University of Auckland

This lecture considers the roles played by pioneering Maori artists who first engaged with international modernism and positions them as foundational figures in today's dynamic contemporary art movement.

Matariki Rising: Designing for new stars and big ideas
Dr Deidre Brown (Ngapuhi, Ngati Kahu), School of Architecture and Planning, The University of Auckland

The rising of Matariki (the Pleiades) heralds the beginning of a new horticultural cycle and has been celebrated by Maori as a time of renewal. For the past ten years, it has also been promoted as the 'Maori New Year' to all New Zealanders for the purpose of providing an entry into Maori culture through participation in a wide range of observances and activities. It is an aspect of indigenous heritage that is being freely shared. This talk will look at the practice of sharing culture from a design perspective. We live in a world where the sharing images and ideas are commonplace in daily life, thanks to the internet, and increasingly identified with democratic principles. But for Maori, like many other indigenous people, there are some aspects of culture and cultural practice that are not so easily shared for a variety of reasons. How does this impact on the way that Maori words and images are used in commercial and celebratory contexts? How are designers practically reconciling the expectations of two cultures? Is there/should there be a boundary between freedom of expression and inappropriate use?