Wahaika

He kaitārai, he tohunga whakairo, he kaitā moko a Rangi Kipa; kei te whakawhānui ia i ngā āhuatanga tuku iho, arā ko ngā āhua, ngā rawa hangarau, ngā tikanga tuku iho ki te tūhura i te whakapapa o te whakaniko me te taonga hei tohu i te tuakiri o te iwi. Kua whakamahia e Kipa ngā rawa hangarau tawhito ki te taha o ngā hangarau o tēnei ao hou, ka mutu e kitea ana te taonga tuku iho i roto i te ao hurihuri. Kua mahia te *Wahaika*, 2014 ki te parāoa me te pāua; kei te whakaataria ngā āhua kōpapa me ngā tauira tārai takawhīwhiwhi e kitea ana i ngā wahaika i piupiua ai e te Māori i te pakanga, i te whaikōrero rānei. Nā te hokihoki atu ki te whakaū i ngā hononga kei waenga i te kaihanga, i te kaimau, i te taonga, kei te pāhekoheko a *Wahaika* ki te whakapapa o te taonga hei hanga i ngā hononga o te wā o mua ki te wā heke, o te taonga tuku iho ki te taonga o te ao hou.

Working as a sculptor, carver and tā moko (tattoo) artist, Rangi Kipa expands customary Māori motifs, materials and techniques, exploring the whakapapa (genealogy) of adornment and taonga (treasures) as an expression of cultural and tribal identity. Kipa has forged a practice that harnesses both traditional and synthetic materials to rearticulate the customary in the contemporary. Made of whalebone and pāua (abalone), *Wahaika*, 2014 echoes the characteristic concave shape, intricately carved patterns seen in wahaika (short hand-held clubs), which were used by Māori in hand combat and to accentuate oratory in ceremonies. Retracing and continuing the tactile relationship between maker, wearer and object, *Wahaika* engages with and continues the whakapapa of taonga to create connections between past and present, the customary and the contemporary.

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