“SentientPlace” by Desna Whaanga-Schollum
Mauri (life-essence). Choreographer: Tane Mete
Title:
- SentientPlace
Artist(s) and People Involved:
Filmmaker, Video Artist, or Animator(s):
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Artist Statement:
Mauri (Life-Essence)
The regenerative life principle/life essence of mauri connects people and spirit to all within the natural physical world, and taonga, in the form of highly valued man-made objects, carries the mauri of the maker. Art forms and objects are seen as having an intimate relationship with the environment and people, with mauri being the connective life essence that flows throughout all.
Mauri is the elemental bonding energy, an essential life force conceptualised as drawing together humans, the physical environment, natural phenomena such as mist and wind, and spirit (Durie, 1998) (Marsden, 1992). Like other deep traditional concepts, mauri has undergone a continual “process of re-invention and expansion” (Holman, 2007, p4). When mauri is strong, peoples, places, fauna and flora flourish. When mauri is depleted and weak, life forms become sickly and weak. (Marsden, 1992). Mauri ora denotes a holistic and regenerative form of well-being.
All taonga that we create, that we might create in the future, and that our tīpuna (ancestors) have created before us are an opportunity to be a conduit connecting with life-essence. We have a whakapapa of regenerating energy in our creative works.
