Origin of forgotten carvings uncovered
Ministry of Social Development work broker Aroha Sell (Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi) said she was just starting to re-engage with her culture when she became determined to track down the two taonga whakairo (carvings).
Originally installed in 1998, the wood carvings were put into storage in about 2010 due to renovations, and faded from workplace memory.
"I instantly felt a responsibility to uphold the mana of our He Taonga Whakairo and ensure that tikanga was followed," she said.
"I was in my early beginnings in reconnecting back to my own Māoritanga and honestly had no idea where to start, but the fire in my belly had started."
Ms Sell, alongside her co-workers Chloe Beckett and Hannah Cornish, formed Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora O Māruawai Rōpu (the MSD Gore Group) and set a goal to uncover the whakapapa of the artworks.
During the 18-month journey to uncover the carvings' origins, Ms Sell asked around the organisation, located old copies of WINZ World magazine and looked through The Ensign archives.
Despite this, the artist remained unknown, until she was connected with the Hokonui Rūnanga, and someone there identified the carver as Moana McRoberts.
Mr McRoberts, now based in the North Island, was commissioned to create the carvings while working at Mataura Marae as part of the Training Opportunities Programme training scheme.
He was "very humbled" Ms Sell had taken the time to locate him and find out the story behind the artworks.
He recalled the carvings represented the seasons, and with that in mind, the taonga was unveiled to coincide with Matariki celebrations.
The second unveiling was held early yesterday on a frosty Gore morning, led with a karakia from rūnanga cultural adviser Matu Coleman-Clarke, and Ms Sell gave a speech.
Capability developer Ann Meffan also spoke, as she was at the original 1998 unveiling as was client service delivery manager Judith McLellan.
Ms McLellan organised the original commissioning of the works, as part the Te Punga bicultural push and funding initiative of the 1990s.
Incorporating te ao Māori (the Māori world-view) into the ministry was fairly new back then and the carvings were probably the first of their kind in the South Island.
"It was sort of a lead-in for us," she said.
Ms Sell became emotional when describing the recent reconnection with her culture coinciding with the mission of understanding the taonga.
"I felt like these carvings had come to me for a reason."
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