Hinemoa

by Sophia Soljak
Te Arawa

350 × 450mm

Painting

As a child, I had the pukapuka ‘Land of the Long White Cloud: Māori Myths, Tales, and Legends’ by Kiri Te Kanawa. In this book was the story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai and the most incredible illustrations by Michael Foreman. I always took great delight in the imagery it conjured for me and have memories of tracing these pictures while reading. The story itself is one of such strength, resilience, and romance. Hinemoa’s perseverance in the face of such obstacles is an inspiration to me. This painting aims to capture her isolation in her journey to Mokoia island and incorporates the pattern mangopare which is representative of the hammerhead shark and symbolises strength and courage.