Te whenua is a witness to change. Ancient sites of occupation, pā sites, sites of the land war battles and subsequent land confiscations are all around us. While some are memorialised, the histories of many are only known to iwi and those with an interest in the history of Aotearoa. 

Appropriation and exploitation of whenua, awa, roto, and moana is central to the colonial project – reflecting the values of that system. By viewing natural taonga colliding with infrastructure and the urban landscape, each image reflects a part of the story of the colonisation of Aotearoa. Pūtahi / Confluence is a metaphor for the meeting of two peoples in one land – of what is now, and of what could have been.

Neil Pardington
Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāti Kahungunu