Kawea 2019

Kawea was an event based project that invited participants to traverse the urbanscape of Ōwairaka in Tāmaki-makau-rau. As part of their journey each participant was asked to bring along an object of importance to be wrapped and then carried by another participant. The journey began at the base of the Ōwairaka / Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura mountain before travelling towards the waters of the Waitematā and arriving at the Waterview reserve. Participants were given a map with a number of highlighted paths but they were also encouraged to create their own journey towards the end point. At the end of the walk, accompanied with food and drink, participants were asked to unwrap and return the objects to their owners, to which the owners could share the object’s importance if they wished.

Kawea was inspired by migration stories to Aotearoa via the Waitematā through to the settlement of the mountain. It considered the idea of migration and what people may bring along with them, as they leave their homeland to settle in a new land.

Thank you to all the participants who attended. Thank you to Melissa Laing and Christina Houghton of Walking About, Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery and Albert-Eden Local Board for the invitation and support of this project.

Image credit: Ian Powell