"Nga wahine o te Ao ka kawe a matou ora wairua ki tona u"
Women are the future of our world. They carry our lives in their breasts and in their Spirit.
This artwork was inspired by the Native American proverb above — translated into te reo Maori — which expresses aroha (love) for the whenua (land) and for future generations. It stems from the Seven Generation Sustainability philosophy — a North American Indigenous ecological concept that encourages us to live in ways that honour the Earth, protect the environment, and ensure the wellbeing of those yet to come — up to 140 years into the future.
Kindly translated by my aunty, Ana Graham Ripia, this artwork is a dedication to Papatuanuku and the sacred whenua — Earth Mother. She carries all life in her breasts, nurturing and sustaining us. She is our Mama Aroha — the source of instinctual, unconditional love.