Te Whare Hinatore
Te Whare Hinatore is the sacred house of emergence — a space of becoming, transformation, and subtle illumination.
Hinatore is the personification of phosphorescence: a soft, glimmering light that appears in darkness — not as a blaze, but as a quiet radiance that hints at what is possible. She holds the space of potential — the energy of what is yet to unfold. She is the gentle pulse of becoming, the shimmer of curiosity, the quiet motion of aspirations forming. Hinatore exists in that sacred threshold between what has been and what is coming into being. She reminds us that even in stillness, something is always beginning.
Hinatore draws from within us the latent — the parts of ourselves waiting to be remembered, reawakened, and expressed. She is the soft glow of ideas before they take shape, the impulse to move toward growth, the stirring of transformation that begins within.
The wharenui, nestled at the womb, represents te whare tangata — the sacred house of humanity. It is the vessel of life, lineage, and creation. From this centre, the seedbed of creation connects body and wairua, earth and sky, self and source. Behind her, the moon rises — a celestial witness to her presence — reminding us that all life unfolds in cycles, rhythms, and quiet radiance.
Hinatore’s light is not loud, but it is constant. She is the personification of potential becoming — a presence that beckons us toward our own inner evolution. She does not push; she invites. She does not rush; she reveals. Her illumination is the promise that within each of us lies something yet to be born — glowing softly on the horizon of who we are becoming.
Auckland City Mission - Te Whare Hinatore
This artwork was created for the Auckland City Mission to mark the opening of a special housing unit in 2019 called Te Whare Hinatore. This whare was established for waahine — and for those who identify as waahine — who have experienced, or are experiencing, homelessness or rough sleeping.
Its purpose is to support the social and psychological well-being of waahine by providing a high-quality, kaupapa Maori service delivered within a trauma-informed framework. Te Whare Hinatore offers not just shelter, but a space of healing, dignity, and reconnection — a place where transformation can begin.
