Photo by Amber-Jayne Bain

A warm welcome to Arihia Latham, who stayed in Te Whare Hēra the week leading up to the opening of Mana Moana 2024 on Saturday the 15th.

Arihia Latham (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha) Is a writer, creative, and rongoā practitioner. Her poetry collection Birdspeak is published by Anahera Press and her short stories, essays and poetry have been published and anthologised widely. This year her work has been published in Te Awa o Kupu (Penguin Random House), Rapture (AUP) and Flora (Te Papa Press). She has been the arts columnist for The Post and she often collaborates, creates and writes on collective art projects, rongoā, social justice and living sustainably. 

One of the several artworks projected on the waterscreen this year is ‘Takaroa’. ‘Takaroa’ is new poetic film written by Arihia Latham (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha), with soundscape by Ruby Solly (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha) and illustrations by Jess Hinerangi Thompson Carr (Ngāpuhi and Ngati Ruanui). Moretekorohunga Lloyd  (Te Whakatōhea, Te Aupōuri) is animating and Riki Gooch Pirihi (Ngāti Wai/Ngāti Māhanga Hourua/Patuharakeke)has mastered the audio. It talks about the Kāi Tahu creation story of Takaroa the atua of the sea being the first love of the earth mother Papatūānuku. It looks at how human induced climate change causing the sea to rise, may be a future already written in the stars. Sea taniwha embody the three artists as they navigate evolving to this new future informed by the past. 

Mana Moana 2024 details:
Āhea | When 6pm–9pm, 15-16 June, 22-23 June, 27-30 June 

Ki hea | Where Whairepo Lagoon  

Te utu | Cost Free