ONE is the Māori word for soil/mud/earth. The place where life when touched by wai (water) is created.
For this solo exhibition Mumu (Will) Moore has created 28 purerehua and porotiti (Taonga Pūoro, Māori instruments).
Purerehua - is an instrument used for karakia (prayer, incantations), to connect from Papatūānuku (earth mother) to the Ngā Atua (many gods) that live/reside above the earth. They can be used to invoke rain, for spiritual practices. They can be worn on the body as a pendant.
Porotiti - is a smaller instrument that is used for Rongoā Māori (Māori healing), its is played with two hands, and spins on itself to create a humming noise which vibrates through the cord to help with arthritis and also used to release the sinus’s and ease pain in the body. They can be worn on the body as pendant.
The theme for this solo exhibition comes from the idea of the creation of life forms, in this case Mumu is working with rakau (trees), or more so the timber from these native Aotearoa (NZ) giants. The timber has been (koha) gifted by Todd O’Hagen from “fox and timber” a timber recycler here in Wellington, then shaped, sanded, carved and painted. The mauri of the maker (Mumu), the location where it is carved, and the rakau (timber) itself combine to create a unique mauri that is infused into the instrument.
In this collection 28 pieces are being created throughout Matariki (Māori new years) with 4 elements and 7 per element. The four elements are Wai (water), One (earth), Āngi (air), Ahi (fire).
Each element has 7 children. The children are created in locations around Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington), and then given the Māori name for each location.
I have been lucky enough to get my guidance on the original Māori place names for Wellington from my good friend Ben Ngaia.
Purerehua and Porotiti range in prices from $160 - $350 depending on type of rakau (wood) and time to make each one.
