Te Whiti o Tu

The space between...

This artwork is inspired by a story shared by kaumatua Mita Carter, about two sisters — Rehutai (mist of the breaking surf) and Tangimoana (the voice of the breaking surf) — who lived near the Ruamahanga River in the Wairarapa region.

On one level, this is a story handed down through generations — a tale of place, kinship, and memory. But on a deeper, spiritual level, it speaks to connection: connection to self, to whakapapa, to our ancestors, and to the sacred thread that binds us to all things — seen and unseen.

The sisters represent more than just figures from the past; they are archetypes of duality, balance, and inner guidance. Their presence reminds us that our higher selves and the wairua (soul) within — are always near, watching, whispering, guiding. The interplay between the visible and invisible, between stars and skin, reminds us that we are never alone.

The star-filled night sky evokes Te Kore — the realm of potential — and Te Po, the great darkness from which all life is born. In this cosmic space, the sisters rest together, bound not just by blood, but by wairua (Spirit). They are guardians of ancestral knowledge, quietly holding space for us to remember who we are and where we come from.

This piece invites stillness, reflection, and spiritual presence — an acknowledgement that the voices of our past live on within us, and that the path ahead is lit by the wisdom they leave behind.