TINO-RANGATIRA-TANGA!

Leilani's work "Tino Rangatira Tanga" represents the memory of her father as she documented his "Ta Moko", his time spent in hospital, then his final days onto the three days of his tangi. The inspiration behind Leilani's work "Tino Rangatira Tanga" is that her father Richard Kake who inspired her and believed in the talent that she possessed as an artist. He always encouraged her to pursue her art endeavours and by Leilani recording her father's "Ta Moko"it showed homage to the status of her father within her own identity.

I was inspired by the piece because I was able to relate closely to her sense of pride in her culture and whanau bond with her father. Her piece showcased the cultural importance of maori traditions as well as the power of whanau and concept of "aroha".

The part of the installation where Richard Kake is seen lying in the hospital bed, surrounded by his whanau who are singing to him, is a strong scene of sorrow and despair. It captured this strong maori figure in Leilani's life at a vulnerable time.

This scene brought to the forefront of my mind the personal experiences that I have had with my close maori relatives in those final minutes where the whanau sing to bring a sense of peace to the person who is passing. The singing also gives comfort to those who are left behind to mourn.

At the tangi of Leilani films the view from her father's side as he lay in the meeting house with Leilani next to him. She recorded the visitors that had come to send off her dad. This helped me understand and again links this piece had to life, death and the rebirth.

The key aspects that I engaged with are: at first her father receiving his sacred Ta Moko, second the passing of Leilani's father and the sorrow felt by her family, and finally the celebration shared of a great maori figure who impacted so much on Leilani's life.