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Tawhirikura Doyle


Name	Tawhirikura Doyle
Iwi	Ngāti Raukawa, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi, Te Ātiawa, Ngā Rauru
School	Queen Margaret College
Year	13
Title	Taku Tau Piki Kōtuku
Media	Paper, graphite
Statement	This artwork was inspired by the whakataukī, ‘He kōtuku rerenga tahi’ (A white heron’s flight is seen but once). It tells of a very special and rare event, in this case my kuia (Nan) who was special and one of a kind. She was a kuia extraordinaire, who loved and was adored by all of her mokopuna. The drawing shows the kōtuku savouring the last moments before taking off on her last journey. Ka hoki te kātuarehe ki tōna Hawaikitanga. E kore te aroha e mimiti. My kuia returns to her homeland of Hawaiki. My love for her will never wane. ‘Taku piki kōtuku e, taku māpihi maurea e, he taonga whakamoe i te whare, taku māpihi kahurangi.’ ‘The rare flight of the white heron is like a precious stone, a precious jewel that glows and glows, a gift from the heavens, an object of great affection’.