Growing up in Ōmārama in the centre of Te Waipounamu South Island, Ross Hemera was taken to the region’s ana whakairo, or Māori rock art sites, by his father, Boko. As a child, he visited many sites around Waitaki and made studies of the ancient drawings on the walls and ceilings of the shelters. Hemera has formed a deep connection with the ana whakairo which inspires his creative practice. His work aims to conceptually express the cultural values and beliefs of Kāi Tahu through new interpretations of the motifs used by his tūpuna.Ka moe te whaea i te wai is informed by the Kāi Tahu pūrākau about Takaroa and Papatūānuku. Takaroa was the first partner of Papatūānuku before she created a second union with Rakinui. Their partnership is a reminder of the inextricable relationship between land and water, and that whenua emerged from under the moana.

tūpuna ~ ancestors

Kāi Tahu ~ tribal group of much of Te Waipounamu South Island

pūrākau ~ myths, ancient legends, stories

Takaroa ~ the ocean

Papatūānuku ~ earth, earth mother

Rakinui ~ the sky

whenua ~ land

moana ~ sea, ocean

He Kapuka Oneone – A Handful of Soil (from August 2024)