Desna Whaanga-Schollum.
Constellations
Artist Statement
Mauri (Life-Essence)
The regenerative life principle/life essence of mauri connects people and spirit to all within the natural physical world, and taonga, in the form of highly valued man-made objects, carries the mauri of the maker. Art forms and objects are seen as having an intimate relationship with the environment and people, with mauri being the connective life essence that flows throughout all.
Mauri is the elemental bonding energy, an essential life force conceptualised as drawing together humans, the physical environment, natural phenomena such as mist and wind, and spirit (Durie, 1998) (Marsden, 1992). Like other deep traditional concepts, mauri has undergone a continual “process of re-invention and expansion” (Holman, 2007, p4). When mauri is strong, peoples, places, fauna and flora flourish. When mauri is depleted and weak, life forms become sickly and weak. (Marsden, 1992). Mauri ora denotes a holistic and regenerative form of well-being.
All taonga that we create, that we might create in the future, and that our tīpuna (ancestors) have created before us are an opportunity to be a conduit connecting with life-essence. We have a whakapapa of regenerating energy in our creative works.
About the artists
Desna Whaanga-Schollum Hon.FRAIC M.Sci Comm, B.Design
Iwi (Tribal affiliations): Rongomaiwahine, Kahungunu, Pāhauwera, Ngāi Tahu Matawhaiti.
Residing within her ancestral territories in Aotearoa, NZ, Desna has played a unique and pivotal role as an Indigenous Design Activator, providing leadership for Indigenous creativity and sovereignty. Her work is a testament to the deep relationships between Indigenous peoples and (sentient)-Place, guiding cross-disciplinary initiatives that are foundational to the global design landscape.
Under Desna’s transformative stewardship, Ngā Aho, Māori Design Professionals Inc. have emerged as a beacon of collective indigenous empowerment. Ngā Aho’s steadfast commitment to communal wisdom and Place-based methodologies, over individualistic pursuits, has reshaped the built environment and infused the broader realm of creative practices with transformative indigenous perspectives. This has inspired a global recalibration of design ethos, ensuring the vitality of Indigenous perspectives for future generations.
Linked-in: www.linkedin.com/in/desna-whaanga-schollum/
Credits: Desna Whaanga-Schollum, Tane Mete, Terri Ripeka Crawford