Whakapapa

Whakapapa is an uku (clay) taonga developed and made by Stevei Houkāmau (Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, and Rangitāne) in 2021.

The concept for Whakapapa began when Stevei completed a residency in Espanola, New Mexico on the Santa Clara reservation. There she worked with celebrated Native American artists Roxanne Swinzel and Rose Bean Simpson on their whānau permaculture farm as well as on uku works. This residency is part of an ongoing relationship nurtured by Ngā Kaihanga Uku (Māori Clay Artists Collective) and has continued to the present where the next generation of uku artists here in Aotearoa and overseas are connecting, sharing and continuing to work together.

“While living on the Santa Clara Reservation I was humbled to learn traditional ways of clearing, preparing and planting crops on the land, dealing with livestock and maintenance, but to also see and work with heirloom seeds from their whānau seed bank. The seed bank was a very small mud house full of seeds that were generations old. I was lucky enough to have been allowed to hold blue corn seeds, the whakapapa went so far back it was hard for Roxanne to pinpoint the date. By holding those atāahua blue corn seeds I felt that I was holding a part of Roxanne and Rose Bean’s whakapapa, their past, present and what will be their future.”

Stevei Houkāmau, 2021

Development of the Concept
The seed concepts of Whakapapa developed when Stevei returned from her residency experience. On reflection, what stuck with Stevei after holding the heirloom seeds was the concept that for her, she was holding literal expression of whakapapa (genealogy) in every sense of the word.

“When you plant the heirloom seed, you feed and nurture that seed to grow strong and provide an abundance of produce. That produce is then harvested, the seeds are then collected, and then they are stored until it is time to plant again. When thinking about this process and translating it to Māori whakapapa, it totally made sense. A baby is born. It is fed and nurtured to grow strong. That nurturing is to ensure that children thrive and grow into successful adults. This process is then repeated when they then have children, by growing and nurturing each generation we are ensuring not only the continued legacy of that whakapapa but also the future of that whakapapa.”

Stevei Houkāmau, 2021

With the concept of seeds in her mind, Stevei looked at taonga Māori used to show the kōrero of someone’s whakapapa. For her, she thought of the tokotoko (orator’s staff) which frequently has whakapapa carved into their design. Stevei also thought of notched taonga such a tokotauwaka, where a person runs their hand down the notches using them as a literal reminder to recite and recall, whakapapa, pūrākau (tribal narratives), or karakia (incantations). Stevei was also reminded of rosary or prayer beads and how they are similarly used as markers.

“With these taonga in my thoughts, I envisaged a large heirloom seed chain that could sit or hang that would represent my whakapapa. I could see myself running my hands down the chain and hear the kōrero of my whakapapa.”

Stevei Houkāmau, 2021

Kaupapa of Whakapapa
Whakapapa is comprised of 21 black uku and 19 white uku seeds. Each of these seeds are hollow and are handmade and hand-carved. The sizing of the seeds varies as they are representations of ipu or vessels. This is purposeful and is likened to the human form being a vessel for all of that persons being. The larger seeds also represent the chieftains (both male and female) of each generation of Stevei’s whakapapa. The seeds are separated by 45 small brown hand rolled seeds.

Each seed is a unique shape and individually carved with Māori and Pacifica inspired patterns. The Pacifica inspired carvings are an acknowledgement to Stevei’s whakapapa before her Māori tūpuna voyaged and settled in Aotearoa. For Stevei, the inclusion of Pacific whakapapa is vital as she feels it is important to acknowledge where Māori came from in order to understand who they are as a people. This was an important part of how she was raised within her own whānau. This resonates and encapsulated by the whakatauki (proverb):

 “E kore au e ngaro, he kākano i ruia mai i rangiātea”
(I will never be lost for I am a seed sown from Rangiātea)

While each seed is a representation of Stevei’s whakapapa (past, present and future), it has an end for aesthetic purposes, however the kuapapa is metaphorically never ending.

“We are also seeing and experiencing a time within Te Ao Māori and Aotearoa where the ways of our tīpuna are being revived and reinterpreted. One of the main reasons for that is to ensure that our people are healthy in mind, body and spirit. Whakapapa is a reflection of these ideals. This whakapapa chain is relatable to all Māori. We can see ourselves and the importance of our whakapapa reflected back at us. Each seed is an extension of a person and it tells a story. It tells a history of a people. It tells of a present version of us as a people and a society. It holds the hopes and dreams of who we wish to become and who we must become to ensure the future of our people and of our whakapapa.”

Stevei Houkāmau, 2021

 

Stevei Houkāmau:
Stevie Houkāmau is a fulltime uku artist who lives and works within the Wellington Region. She has been working with uku since 2011 and is a tauira of Wi Taepa.
Stevie has been a member of the Ngā Kaihanga Uku Māori Clay Collective since 2012 and has exhibited and has works in collections both nationally and internationally. Stevie has represented Aotearoa at FESTPAC, Guahan and indigenous Art Gatherings and completed residencies in the US, Australia and here in Aotearoa. Most recently in 2020 Stevie had two solo exhibitions at Pataka Art + Museum, Porirua and Masterworks Gallery, Auckland.