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Baye Riddell uses terracotta clay from his family land at Te Puia Springs, and prepares it in ways that reflect his care and respect and connection to the whenua (land) and its materials. In this work titled Seven Days Baye explores Christian and Māori themes and the links between them. For Baye the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is an expression of Christian belief in Christ’s victory over death. He sees a parallel between this belief and the stories in Māori narratives of Maui’s quest for immortality.
"I dig my clay from family land on the East Coast. Each piece is won from the clay and the fire – woodfiring produces subtle in the colour, and is an immediate process also tied to the land. The clay has taken me on a journey over the last 30 years that has been very satisfying and rewarding. Taking me to many parts of the world and meeting wonderful people."
Baye Riddell, 2014
SEVEN DAYS - TE TIMATANGA (the Beginning)
This work refers to the Genesis account of Creation and cross references that perspective with Maori cosmological stories. There are seven pieces depicting the six biblical "days" of creation and the final day of rest. Each piece references corresponding Māori concepts of creation and being.
DAY 1 GENESIS 1:1 – 5 This piece cross references the Genesis account of creation with Māori concepts of Te Kore (potential) - nothingness, Te Po (the great night) and Te Aomarama (light, consciousness, awareness)
DAY 2 GENESIS 1:6 – 8 The heavens are put in place separate from Earth. As Māori we have the story of Tāne separating his parents Rangi and Papa – depicted in the figure upside down pushing Rangi upwards with his feet.
DAY 3 GENESIS 1: 9-13 The appearance of dry land from the seas – and vegetation. Māori proverb – People may come and go but the land endures forever - …Toitu te whenua. `
DAY 4 GENESIS 1: 14 – 19 Creation of the sun, moon and stars. I have referred in this piece to a song composed by one of my tipuna – Tuini Ngawai in which she analogises the constellation Matariki (Pleiades) as the Gospel shedding light on the world and heralding the season of growth and new life.
DAY 5 GENESIS 1 : 21-23 Creation of fish and birds Two bird stories on this piece; The first when Maui attempted to gain immortality by turning himself into a lizard and entering into Hine nui te Po ( Goddess of Death ) by way of her vagina to retrieve the mauri ( life force) of mankind. He had warned the birds to be silent whilst he attempted this feat lest they awakened Hine nui te Po. However Piwaiwaka the fantail could not restrain himself at the spectacle and burst out laughing. Hine nui te Po awoke and crushed Maui to death between her thighs. The second when Jesus is being baptised by John and the Holy Spirit descends on Him in the form of a dove. In short Jesus was sent to pay the sacrificial utu (price) that we might have eternal life. On the reverse side of the piece a Māori proverb relating to warriorship – "Kia mate rite tonu I te ururoa – ehara I te terakihi" Die fighting like the shark – not like the terakihi which gives up easily. Ie we should not give up fighting for those things we believe in.
DAY 6 GENESIS 1:24-31 Creation of the animals and mankind In the biblical account the first human - Adam - is created from the dust of the earth and God breathes life into him. In the Maori account Tāne creates the first human – Hine ahuone from the clay of the pool Kurawaka and breathes life into her. ….he tangata, he tangata ….tihei mauri ora! - The essence being ..I breathe ..I am alive!
Day 7 GENESIS 2 :2-3 Day of rest – " .. it is good" Alpha and Omega – I Am - the beginning and the end.
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