E lē galo le tai // The tide is never forgotten

Across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa (Pacific Ocean), people and moana (ocean) have an intrinsic and enduring relationship.

The ocean carries traces of those who have crossed it, holding mātauranga (knowledge) of tides and currents, and memory of departure and return.  E lē galo le tai positions the moana as a vessel for memory, holding haerenga (journeys) and histories moving within us.

Our connection to the moana is an elemental understanding of who we are. It shapes connection to whakapapa (genealogy), movement, belonging, and home. Like the tide, our understanding of these things are never fixed. They ebb and flow, returning in new forms, and finding expression through art, story-telling, and creative practice.

This exhibition brings together artists from across the motu (country), responding to the kaupapa (theme) in their own ways. Distinct in form and feeling, the work reflects the many meanings held within the moana, and the eternal pull of the waters that continue to shape and guide us.