This is a selection of the work created for Pounga Wai. They’re ‘shorts’ to show the project’s creative development and the direction to move from figurative animation to science driven Toi Awa, where the creative output is driven by data collected to tell us about the health of our Awa.

Pounga Wai has been a collaborative project that is about investigation, experimentation, articulation of ideas around old korero and design thinking from a mana whenua perspective. Here are just a few examples of the work that has been completed over many months.

There are several problems that have presented during the process of unlocking the project’s potential. There are also many exciting new paths that have been revealed along the way.

We are striving to create works that are about the visualisation of the mauri of our Awa here in Whanganui and this is proving to be a longer process than anticipated. However, in a short time we have produced artworks that have been requested for exhibitions and continue to stir up interest in our project.

We apprectiate the support of our whanau and friends and the wider Whanganui Community.

Mauri Awa, Mauri Ora, Mauri Tangata