Bobbi Passau

 

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Name

Bobbi Passau

Iwi

Ngāi Te Rangi

School

Macleans College

Year

13

Title

Exploring Whanaungatanga

Media

Digital design, photography

Statement

I was never one who was eager to find out more about culture; I was comfortable knowing very little and staying in my bubble as it was the way I was raised. It was not until 2020 when my grandmother passed away from Alzheimer's, that all of a sudden, I was surrounded by people I had never met but who were my family, my whānau. It would be a lie to say that it was not overwhelming - the numerous things I was told about my whānau, ancestors, and culture, but I loved every bit of it. The whanaungatanga that I created and sensed with my whānau made me feel like I was home. For the first time, I was truly 100% proud to be able to say that I was a Maori, proud of my blood and who I was. It made me feel whole, complete even. During my final year at college, I took the opportunity to tie my culture and whānau into my artwork as I wanted a chance to display and honor my heritage and culture in the best way possible. It also gave me the opportunity to learn more about who I am, and the culture I am so proud to be a part of. I went back to my marae and took photos which I have then used in this piece. I have also incorporated photographs of my whānau that are layered over top of each other signifying the layers of generations that are a part of an iwi and whānau, and the importance of loving and cherishing the time you spend with them. I decided to display my double-page magazine spread as a type of whānau zone that begins to explore the history of my whakapapa. Once I have explored and learned more about my iwi and whakapapa, I would like to bring together all the knowledge I have gathered and create another piece like this, honoring my whānau and culture.

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