Pūtātara: Revolutions in Māori Art

Te Kaha, 1973. A group of Māori artists and writers gather, marking a chain reaction of moments and movements around which Māori art has evolved and revolved ever since.

Made with the support of the Creative NZ, NZ On Air, and RNZ arts & culture podcast co-fund

Silhouetted figures, including a flag bearer and a young person sounding a pūtātara (conch shell trumpet), walk along a ridge against a deep red sunset. The title reads: "Pūtātara: Revolutions in Māori Art" in golden yellow and red.

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Bridging the Gap

Episode 4
By the time the '90s came, much of the previous decade's activism was starting to bear fruit. A new generation of artists had emerged with some provocative questions.
A four-panel mural by Buck Nin titled The Polluted Land. It depicts a dark, industrial landscape where white smoke from factories rises into a cloudy sky. The middle section features ghostly figures and intricate Māori whakairo patterns, while the bottom shows fish swimming in murky, deep blue water.

Keeping Our Taonga Warm

Episode 3
After touring the U.S., Te Māori came home. It was a hit. It also sparked significant change in the way museums operated in Aotearoa, with ramifications still felt today. We meet a woman who led that charge.
A small white carved figure attached to a string, sits in front of a black background.

Home and Away

Episode 2
We travel to New York, 1984, at the opening of Te Māori at the Met. Considered a landmark exhibition, it was met with widespread celebration -- but there were criticisms too.
An emotive photograph capturing a confrontation between Māori protesters and police on the Waitangi bridge. A large Tino Rangatiratanga flag flies prominently on the left as a dense crowd of protesters clashes with a line of police officers in riot gear. On the right, a cameraman films the scene from behind the police line under an overcast sky.

The People Gather

Episode 1
We begin in Te Kaha in 1973, where a group of Māori artists and writers have gathered. Ngā Tamatoa had just burst onto the scene at Waitangi, setting in motion a decade of upheaval and protest.
A black and white photo of a large group seated on benches outdoors, facing a marae.

Introducing: Pūtātara: Revolutions in Māori Art

Trailer
Te Kaha, 1973. A group of Māori artists and writers gather, marking a chain reaction of moments and movements around which Māori art has evolved and revolved ever since. Made with the support of the Creative NZ, NZ On Air, and RNZ arts & culture podcast co-fund.

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