Beyond the Wharenui

Ko te *Beyond the Wharenui*, 2020 he toi mahi tahi a Matekino Lawless rāua ko tāna tamahine a Christina Wirihana. He tohunga raranga rāua tahi, ā, kitea ai ā rāua toi i roto i ngā whā tekau tau nei. Ko rāua tētahi tauira me uaua kē te kitea, o te tikanga raranga e tukuna iho nei, e tukuna iho nei, i roto i te whānau. Nō mua noa atu rāua e mahi tahi ana i ngā hinonga huhua, i ngā whakaaturanga me ngā nohoanga maha; he whakapau kaha tā rāua mahi ki te pupuri i ngā tikanga me te mātauranga raranga kia ora ai ā haere ake nei. E ai ki a rāua, he mea nui te tuku atu huri, huri noa, i te mātauranga o te whānau.

Ko tā rāua mahi tahi i te hanganga *Beyond the Wharenui*, 2020, he rāpoi i ngā tikanga raranga tuku iho me ngā ariā hou o ēnei rā e arotahi nei ki te whāriki. Ko te whāriki te taumata o ngā momo takapau, kōaka hoki, ā, he taonga nō te rangatira. Whakanikonikohia ai te wharenui ki te whāriki, i te hui nui. E 92 ngā tau o Matekino Lawless i te wā i whatua e ia te pūtake o tēnei whāriki, he mahi i ngā tikanga takirua me te whakatutū hei whakamuramura i te tae māori o ngā rau kua whakariteritea. Kei te tārewa te rau Perspex angiangi i mua i te whāriki, ā, kua tāngia ki ngā hoahoa āhuahanga, arā he apanga tauira whāriki, he mea e whakaatu ai i ngā taipitopito o tēnā whatu, o tēnā whatu.

*Beyond the Wharenui*, 2020 is a collaborative installation by mother-daughter duo Matekino Lawless and Christina Wirihana. Individually, they are master weavers with careers that extend across more than four decades. Together, they represent one of the rare family dynasties where customary weaving practice has passed down through generations. They have consistently worked together over many projects, exhibitions and residencies, sharing an advocacy for the preservation of raranga (weaving) skills and knowledge, while also reiterating the importance of shared whānau (family) knowledge.

*Beyond the Wharenui*, 2020 brings together customary weaving knowledge and contemporary innovation focusing on whāriki (fine woven mats). Whāriki are the most esteemed of all woven mats and are the items of chiefly lineage. They are often used to adorn the wharenui (meeting house) on occasions of special significance. At 92, Lawless has woven the base of this whāriki incorporating alternating takirua (pairing) and whakatutu (hooping) weaving techniques and heightening the natural colour of the processed leaves. Wirihana’s thin Perspex sheet suspends in front of the whāriki and is engraved with the geometric designs one might see as a layer of whāriki patterning, vibrantly showing the details of every weave.

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