Wūru Paraikete

By Keelin Bell 
Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi

Inkjet photographic print

A portrait of a rangatahi draped in a woollen blanket and suit.

This work explores Aotearoa’s history through an indigenous lens, interweaving connections between people, the landscape and our taonga. Keelin’s research has led to exploring imagery of the early nineteenth century where a mutual understanding between Māori and European settlers began to develop through trade. Woollen blankets are a representation of this exchange, with Māori weaving them within their kākahu, and in its nature also being passed down through whānau. Today, blankets are worn to represent status or nobility which is how Keelin imagines Māori during this period.