Tango Whakaahua

Ko tēnei kohinga whakaahua he wāhanga o *Tango Whakaahua*, 2006, – e 50 ngā whakaahua kiriaro pango me te mā, he rerekē te nui o tēnā, o tēnā, ā, kua paepirihia ki ngā taitapa whakaniko he mea mahi ā-ringa.

Ko tā *Tango Whakaahua* he tohutoro i te tango whakaahua, i te whakaaetanga kia tangohia ai te whakaahua rānei. I tēnei hanganga, kua whakairihia ngā whakaahua kia āhua rite ki ngā whakaahua o te whānau i te marae; he tohutoronga tēnei ki te mana o te tango whakaahua hei tikanga whakamaumaharatanga. E ai ki a Erena Baker:

Ka tutuki te whakawhitinga o te whakaatanga me te pahekotanga i te wā me te wāhi nā te taunekeneke i waenganui i ōku tūpuna, i ō rātou taonga tuku iho, i tāku whakaahua kiriaro.

Ko tā ēnei ata, he whakaatu i a Baker e whakarākeitia ai ki te korowai, i rarangahia ai e te ringa raranga rongonui, e Kohai Grace. Kei te pīoioi te mahi a Baker – he whakapoapoa i te tangata ki te titiro ki te whakaahua ā-hitori, he mea tawhito, ā, kei te karo i te hononga ki tētahi puhi Māori.

This cluster of photographs is part of *Tango Whakaahua*, 2006, which consists of 50 black and white self-portraits of various sizes and mounted in decorative handmade frames.

*Tango Whakaahua* refers to the actions of taking or accepting one’s image being taken. In this installation, the photographs are arranged in the similar fashion to whānau (family) portraits in marae (communal spaces) alluding to the mana (power, prestige) attributed to photography as a form of remembrance. Erena Baker shares:

This reflection and communion across time and space is achieved through photographic interactions between my ancestors, their taonga (heirlooms) and my self-portrait.

The images depict Baker adorned in a korowai (woven cloak) made by renowned weaver Kohai Grace. Baker’s work oscillates and draws us into the antiquarian allure of historical photography while evading any potential readings of a Māori maiden.

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