Author(s): Sara Tautuku Orme

NZ Art

A new photography project recording sensitive and precious personal experiences and mātauranga of kaumātua has been launched in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Kaumātua is a three-year-long project created by photographer Sarah (Hera) Tautuku Orme, of Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Whākaue, and Ngāti Tarāwhai.

“With this kaupapa, we hope to bring mana to our kaumātua, read what they share, and ignite further kōrero. The aim is that as many people have the opportunity to engage with this project as possible,” Orme says.

The stories and portraits of the first four kaumātua were revealed and celebrated at Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae, Ōwairaka yesterday in Auckland. They include Rānana Paul, of Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Rereahu; Hēni Goldsmith of Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāi Te Rangi; Lynda Toki of Maniapoto and Hare Paniora, of Ngāpuhi.

Some of their experiences include being made to not speak te reo Māori at school in the late 1930s; not getting moko kauae because of not being accepted into society at the time; domestic violence; incarceration; and overcoming the challenge of speaking te reo on the marae.

“Everyone has a story to share. Kaumātua, elders born around the 1940s and earlier, have lived through a lot of societal change in Aotearoa. Kaumātua are pātaka kōrero and we continue to learn from them, moving into the future with their words, soaking up the richness of their kōrero. Kaumātua are healers who share their stories of a past so that it will be remembered,” Orme says.