Wahine Kotahi

Wahine Kotahi | Wahine Ma is a response to the work of New Zealand artist Gordon Walters and his iconic koru series from the 1970s. Walters drew inspiration from Maori rock art, which he studied for over 30 years, developing stylised koru patterns that became central to his visual language.

In my view, Walters gained recognition through the appropriation of Maori symbolism. He once stated, "All I have done with the koru motif is make a reference to it, and naturally, since I'm a contemporary Pakeha artist, the result is not Maori art. It's not supposed to be." Yet he extracted meaning from Maori forms and claimed originality.

In a Maori worldview, acknowledging the source of ideas is vital. We honour where they come from — the people, the time, the places, and the wairua (spirital vibration) that gave them life. Recognition upholds mana and maintains connection with the past.

Western frameworks, shaped by a colonising mindset, tend to value ownership over origin. So while Walters may not have believed he was creating Maori art, from a Maori perspective, he was engaging with the essence of it. His work may not have appeared traditional, but the intangible — the seed of the idea — remained present. Tellingly, many of his artworks also carried Maori titles.

Without proper acknowledgment, Walters was — perhaps unknowingly — taking the spirit of our ancestors and embedding it into his own practice. The New Zealand art world has celebrated him for this ever since.

Wahine Ma | Wahine Kotahi carries many layers. On the surface, it addresses appropriation. But beneath that, it reflects my experience of colonisation — seen through the eyes of a child growing up in 1970s and '80s Aotearoa.

Acknowledgement: NZ HISTORY