Whare Ngaro

The photographic exhibition ‘Whare Ngaro’ by Kai Tahu artist Ashleigh Zimmerman, draws on the Te Ao Māori creation narratives to intimately explore the kaupapa of infertility through a contemporary lens. The large scale photographs explore the red chromatic symbolism of Kōkōwai as a provocation of a broken lineage; a failure to maintain whakapapa, and with it, an erasure of a tūpuna lineage. Kōkōwai from Papatūānuku’s kurawaka is captured in multiple guises as te hau o Tawhiri (the wind-blown dust), te Rangitoto o Ruaumoko (the molten lava of the volcanic deity), te toto o Hine-ahu-one (the blood of Hine the earth formed maiden), te tapu o Karihi (the sanctity of the vagina) and ngā wai tapu (the sacred waters) invested with ihi and the potential for procreation and conception. Zimmerman’s deeply personal kaupapa connects with audiences and fosters critical conversations that affect many communities. Visit Hihiaua during Art Beat 2025 to view this powerful exhibition.

Beyond its visual impact, the exhibition offered a deeply immersive programme that included an artist kōrero, a mirimiri clinic by Ringa Atawhai Mātauranga, a kōkōwai wānanga facilitated by Hā, and connections with Māmā Neke Maunga – a roopu that holds space for all experiences of Māori motherhood. These events transformed the gallery into a place of reflection, connection, and wairua-led engagement.