Personal musings from our Creative Director

Oct 30, 2024

When you think of home, what comes to mind? Or even perhaps, who? The Māori worldview traces the threads of origin back to our genesis; our homelands, our natural environment, te taiao. It's customary to recite our pepeha/whakapapa (recount of genealogy) during introductions, to share our relevant connections, our common relationships and interwoven experiences that come to the fore in our sharing space together. Key landmarks and sites of significance, maunga (mountains), awa, moana, roto (waterways), whenua (regions, geographical areas) or the iwi (tribal groups) who occupy those lands, are most commonly shared here.

Our natural world and these sites of identity upon the land & seascape stand as great & ancient ancestors and reflect our placing in a vast genealogy across time, binding us to the earth itself. We stand with esteem realising the inherent eminence from which we derive, we're humbled as we stand upon the shoulders of stone giants and wade in the pristine waters of home and we realise our responsibility to care for these ancestors, as an elder who has sheltered their offspring, with admiration and respect we return this value of care.

Whilst I was born and raised in the moana, in the coastal region of Bay of Plenty, I often reflect on my mothers connection to the kāhui maunga, the snowy peaks that dominate the central north island. Its an ethereal place, the source point of many prominent rivers, where freezing waters cut through rocky valleys, where the desert like landscape is vast and the ground becomes barren as you near the feet of these mountains and the winter winds are harsh and bite with black frost. But here is where our ancestor called forth fire from Hawaiiki to warm himself, here the great hawk brought many across the oceans to find a new home, here my grandfather rode miles on horseback to court my grandmother, and often I longed to return.

Its this connection, of spirit and soul, of intergenerational belonging that spurred on the idea of weaving designs that denote the significance of our places of identity, and the value of connection and belonging to places that remain steadfast and unwavering. A subtle encouragement in our endeavours and ahuru mōwai (haven) for any hardships and struggles we may face in the present. A reminder to return, to be rejuvenated and restored, and reciprocate this value of care to the places we belong.

At the base of lofty mountains, gazing upon their wind blown peaks, our eyes follow the gradient towards the depths of the valley, wading in the waters of home, it is here we find ourselves again. We recover and rediscover, we reaffirm our truths, we find our feet beneath us and the courage and fortitude to endure and endeavour.

New Limitless, launching 01.11.24.