E Whai Ake Nei explores a kaupapa of renewal and growth, showcasing a variety of digital, printed, and physical works with a focus on connection to home, whenua, mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori.

Matariki holds cultural and spiritual importance throughout the Pacific, and encourages reflection on the past, focus within the present, and planning for the future. The essence of this kaupapa is captured in E Whai Ake Nei, as staff, students and alumni use new and existing knowledge to develop expressive design practices using core values of te ao Māori.

Matariki shows that the heavens are at the heart of the earth, says Head of Te Kura Waihanga—Wellington School of Architecture, Dr Rod Barnett.

“The Wellington School of Architecture celebrates this conjunction with Te Kura Hoahoa—School of Design Innovation by presenting work from their student community that foregrounds the whanaungatanga of above and below. Place, space and time are intricately involved in the cycles of the stars—as whakapapa and climate change tell us again.”

Nan O’Sullivan, Head of the School of Design Innovation is excited to again be celebrating Matariki as a Faculty with their colleagues from the Wellington School of Architecture.

“Te Ao Māori and mātauranga Māori offer design such wonderfully rich insights into both expanded methods and mindsets from which we undertake research and creative practice. E Whai Ake Nei showcases work that demonstrates strength, diversity, curiosity and brilliance. Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini—One’s success is not theirs alone, it is the success of the collective."

Ethan Sheaf-Morrison (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui), a Bachelor of Design Innovation graduate, is exhibiting work from his capstone project Finding Kuku in this year’s exhibition. The project is the collection of an ongoing journey to rediscover his connection to his whakapapa.

“The project follows my journey uncovering the history of my search for my Great Great Grandmother, Kuku Reweti, and the places she lived,” Ethan says.

“Growing up, I was never given the opportunities to understand or explore my Māori background. Now, having learnt how I can use my design practice to learn and communicate aspects of the world around me, I decided it was time I finally started to uncover the histories that made me who I am.”

Finding Kuku is an artist book combining photography, illustrations, and found documents collected by Ethan throughout the year-long project.

“More broadly, the project uses my own experience to explore the importance of place, space, and time in understanding a person’s identity and the histories that are imbued within in.

“I believe this reflection is important to understand how we got here, but also to build a way forward.

“Matariki is important as a celebration of Māori voices, perspectives, and works, but it also offers a time for reflection. It allows us look back on ideas, people, events, and places and celebrate the good while looking at how we can make the future better.”

Ethan now works as a research assistant mapping and displaying Aotearoa’s environment, work which he says reflects the same kaupapa and perspectives he explored during his project.

“My work revolves around studying the land, but more specifically how the land is connected to people. Finding Kuku reflects this by using a holistic approach that links, people, environment and social systems together.”

Ethan says his studies at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington offered him a way of thinking about the world through practice, and a variety of perspectives on how to evaluate his own role within it.

Antonia van Sitter (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whakaue), a Master of Architecture student, is exhibiting works from her thesis project Marae Resilience In the Wake of Disaster at this year’s exhibition.

Antonia is presenting Essence of a Marae, a selection of pūrākau or narratives beamed in from the front lines of the climate emergency.

“Pūrākau is intergenerational, speaking to important events and stories from the past, present and future,” she says.

“Pūrākau speaks to the mauri and spirituality of te ao Māori—one does not exist on one's own, but together with the natural environment, between Papatūānuku and Ranginui. Pūrākau can be very practical and can be used as a method in academic research.”

Antonia’s motivation for her research into marae resilience was fuelled both by the devastating impact of Cyclone Gabrielle, and the “frightening statistic” that almost 80% of 800 marae situated across Aotearoa are located on coastal and riverside flood-prone areas, a statistic identified by climate change scientist Akuhata Bailey-Winiata (a PhD candidate at the University of Waikato).

“Māori communities are at higher risk of feeling the devastation of climate change. The celebration and practice of Matariki is important in revitalising the resilience of te ao Māori and marae.

“The pūrākau speak to the alignment of Māoritanga. As Māori our ancestors were very navigational beings that relied on the stars, lunar calendar and natural environment which brought to life our technical, scientific and survivalist knowledge systems. This is Matariki.”

Ethan and Antonia are just two of many students, staff and alumni of Te Wāhanga Waihanga-Hoahoa who are exhibiting their work in E Whai Ake Nei from 10 – 20 July 2023.

Throughout the exhibition period, there will also be a series of lunchtime presentations by staff, students, and a PhD candidate. You can attend these presentations from 12:30 – 1:30pm in the Te Aro campus atrium on the following dates:

• Tuesday 18 July - Staff presentations
• Wednesday 19 July – Student presentations
• Thursday 20 July – PhD presentation

To kick off the Matariki celebrations, on 7 July 2023 the Faculty are also hosting a Matariki School Holiday Programme for senior high school students from all over Aotearoa. The on-campus event will include creative hands-on workshops for students interested in architecture, design, building science or related fields, along with information about our degrees.