Art History - week 11 - 6/05/2019
Field Trip:
Identification, Description, Explanation (use and value), analysis of the object as Taonga. Set reading: (Alfred Moore)
Student reporting:
Museum visit with sketchbooks. Blog Task TBA
(1) Select and sketch 3 Maori artifacts in the SMAG collection. Record any information given to explain each.
(2) Review the content and presentation of the Maori Artefacts presentation in SMAG.
Question: Is there a better way to present Maori Taonga to a viewing public?
(2) Identify how Taonga might be presented and explained in contexts other than what we see at SMAG. (total: 300 words minimum)
The Dunedin Museum was fantastic, it had many examples of Tonga and made you wonder what was Tonga and what wasn't. Though since it is in a museum wouldn't all of it be Tonga?
when you walk into the part of the museum were the Maori history artifacts are displayed up on the wall above the displays of Jade.
This shows acknowledgment to the artifacts being Taonga and tells people who don't know what Taonga is and that these artifacts are more than just artifacts they are treasurers and should be respected.
Under this was a display case of Jadestone which is a great first entry along with the Woka with the Tauihu at the entrance. so when you walk in you at met by the tauihu of the Woka which is a great entrance.
Pounamu in Maori tradition are items are given as a gift, one must receive a Pounamu by another person as a gift as each shape and craving of the stone has a meaning and represents something. This is also because when you are given a stone you and the giver of the stone are now connected through the stone. This stone is always very personal when it comes to Mario tradition because of gift exchange and how you must receive one as a gift to be able to have one. The way they are displayed is nice, as you can walk around and see everything and under them is a plack so you can read about what each of them means. I think the displaying of these items are nice and very easy to view and see. I did some research on the Taonga of displaying these items and there wasn't any useful information about how to respectfully display them, though there was some information about blessing the items. Which we did talk about earlier in the year and watch a video on about blessing the items when putting into a museum.
The Feather box was interesting as it had feathers in the box, which was great for context but were the feathers of actual importance. This wasn't the only feather box as there were other on the wall sitting on a wire and not a shelf or anything. Which I thought was a bit strange but it was good to be able to see the bottom of the box to see that cravings went around the whole box since you couldn't see the bottom of the one shown. These boxes were used to hold combs and the fathers of the chief of the tribe, which makes this box Tonga because of who it belonged to or who it could have belonged. The display of these items was very bland. This is because there was just the background of the information and then the boxes. Which could be considered respectful and less distracting from the cravings and detail on the box.
This is a very beautiful work, the amount of detail in this craving of the women. This Items I thought would have been one of the most Tonga items as because of the meaning behind it of the women in the Maori community and what it means to be a woman in their religious beliefs. This is displayed on its own hung up on a wall with a glass casing, to me, this item should be respected a lot as it holds a very deep meaning of women and how women hold the community together. This item is also Tonga because of the meaning, and also how it is seen as a decorative work. The detailing and design of the work show the amount of meaning and story behind it though it isn't a larger item unlike a lot of the other similar items as this. Due to this being displayed by itself and with full definition and meaning behind the item I would think this has been done respectfully, I would have liked to see information about the craving the story of the craving and layout.
Identify how Taonga might be presented:
references:
Moorfield, J. (2019). taonga - Māori Dictionary. Retrieved from https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?keywords=taonga
What makes a treasure a Taonga? | Law Commission. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.lawcom.govt.nz/taonga
Paora Tapsell, 'Māori and museums – ngā whare taonga', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/maori-and-museums-nga-whare-taonga/print (accessed 9 May 2019)
Assessment 1, Seminar 1: Research
Assessment = 5% of final mark.
Students to write 3 paragraphs (length of each not specified but, total word count guide, 400-600 words.):
• The concept of Taonga and what it means for the telling of New Zealand histories.
• The question of ownership of Maori objects and stories. (refer to Maus’ gift exchange theory as explained and contextualized by Alfred Gell)
• Discuss examples of appropriation of Maori artifact images and brands with regard to effects and consequences for not just Maori but for all New Zealand peoples.
Seminar 1: Research
Britney Good
I will be discussing the concept of Taonga and its relation to the history of New Zealand, Ownership of Mario object and storytelling, and the appropriation of Maori artifacts. With examples to further explain and analyse each concept, to have a larger understanding within each topic.
Identification, Description, Explanation (use and value), analysis of the object as Taonga. Set reading: (Alfred Moore)
Student reporting:
Museum visit with sketchbooks. Blog Task TBA
(1) Select and sketch 3 Maori artifacts in the SMAG collection. Record any information given to explain each.
(2) Review the content and presentation of the Maori Artefacts presentation in SMAG.
Question: Is there a better way to present Maori Taonga to a viewing public?
(2) Identify how Taonga might be presented and explained in contexts other than what we see at SMAG. (total: 300 words minimum)
The Dunedin Museum was fantastic, it had many examples of Tonga and made you wonder what was Tonga and what wasn't. Though since it is in a museum wouldn't all of it be Tonga?
when you walk into the part of the museum were the Maori history artifacts are displayed up on the wall above the displays of Jade.
Under this was a display case of Jadestone which is a great first entry along with the Woka with the Tauihu at the entrance. so when you walk in you at met by the tauihu of the Woka which is a great entrance.
The Feather box was interesting as it had feathers in the box, which was great for context but were the feathers of actual importance. This wasn't the only feather box as there were other on the wall sitting on a wire and not a shelf or anything. Which I thought was a bit strange but it was good to be able to see the bottom of the box to see that cravings went around the whole box since you couldn't see the bottom of the one shown. These boxes were used to hold combs and the fathers of the chief of the tribe, which makes this box Tonga because of who it belonged to or who it could have belonged. The display of these items was very bland. This is because there was just the background of the information and then the boxes. Which could be considered respectful and less distracting from the cravings and detail on the box.
This is a very beautiful work, the amount of detail in this craving of the women. This Items I thought would have been one of the most Tonga items as because of the meaning behind it of the women in the Maori community and what it means to be a woman in their religious beliefs. This is displayed on its own hung up on a wall with a glass casing, to me, this item should be respected a lot as it holds a very deep meaning of women and how women hold the community together. This item is also Tonga because of the meaning, and also how it is seen as a decorative work. The detailing and design of the work show the amount of meaning and story behind it though it isn't a larger item unlike a lot of the other similar items as this. Due to this being displayed by itself and with full definition and meaning behind the item I would think this has been done respectfully, I would have liked to see information about the craving the story of the craving and layout.
Taonga is " treasure, anything prized - applied to anything considered to be of value including socially or culturally valuable objects, resources, phenomenon, ideas, and techniques. Examples of the word's use in early texts show that this broad range of meanings is not recent, while a similar range of meanings from some other Eastern Polynesian languages support this (e.g. Tuamotuan). The first example sentence below was first published in a narrative in 1854 by Sir George Grey, but was probably written in 1849 or earlier." (Moorfield, 2019). So when going into a museum to look at Maori artifacts, one would assume they are all taonga, for example when walking into the Dudein museum on the wall to the left when you walk in is a statement saying that these are treasures of the Southern people. Though what makes all these items Taonga how can it be defined as Taonga? "Judge Coyle noted there was no clear definition of taonga in the law"("What makes a treasure a Taonga? | Law Commission", 2017). Thus meaning, these are all judged as Taonga from those who gave them to the museum. Though this could be only based on personal opinion or opinion within a tribe. Taonga is a religious belief, thus this could mean that all tribes value these or could vary between the tribes. These items are from SouthIsland meaning these are taonga to the people of the southern Island. Though there are Items from the NorthIsland on display meaning that Taonga is valid over all tribes and they value the same items as Taonga. At the Dunedin Museum the display of Taonga items are very simple and minimalistic, this is to highlight the item on display and not distract the viewer from the item as a lot of the items have highly detailed carvings. Or is this minimalistic displaying to do with the fact the items are Taongon? "Māori view taonga (treasures) as their ancestors, therefore how they are presented and treated in museums is very important. Taonga has been a common sight in museums all over the world since Europeans began collecting Māori objects in the late 1700s. However, they were treated as curiosities, divorced from the culture that produced them. In the late 20th century more Māori began to work in museums and iwi had more input into how taonga were presented." (Tapsell, 2014) This gives a bit more understanding of why Maori are protective with there Taonga items and why they treasure them so highly. I could not find information on how to display them or the right way to display a Taonga item, though there is a process of giving and putting an item up on display within a museum, a blessing to said item/s.
references:
Moorfield, J. (2019). taonga - Māori Dictionary. Retrieved from https://maoridictionary.co.nz/search?keywords=taonga
What makes a treasure a Taonga? | Law Commission. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.lawcom.govt.nz/taonga
Paora Tapsell, 'Māori and museums – ngā whare taonga', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/maori-and-museums-nga-whare-taonga/print (accessed 9 May 2019)
Assessment 1, Seminar 1: Research
Assessment = 5% of final mark.
Students to write 3 paragraphs (length of each not specified but, total word count guide, 400-600 words.):
• The concept of Taonga and what it means for the telling of New Zealand histories.
• The question of ownership of Maori objects and stories. (refer to Maus’ gift exchange theory as explained and contextualized by Alfred Gell)
• Discuss examples of appropriation of Maori artifact images and brands with regard to effects and consequences for not just Maori but for all New Zealand peoples.
Seminar 1: Research
Britney Good
I will be discussing the concept of Taonga and its relation to the history of New Zealand, Ownership of Mario object and storytelling, and the appropriation of Maori artifacts. With examples to further explain and analyse each concept, to have a larger understanding within each topic.
Taonga is " treasure, anything prized - applied to anything considered to be of value including socially or culturally valuable objects, resources, phenomenon, ideas, and techniques. Examples of the word's use in early texts show that this broad range of meanings is not recent, while a similar range of meanings from some other Eastern Polynesian languages support this (e.g. Tuamotuan). They are also used to tell stories of Maori history or to tell who they are and their tribe. This is shown through the cravings of items or tapestry, this is also shown in clothes of each tribe or the ancestors. Taonga items are also items of ancestor artifacts, which show the history of New Zealand. "Māori view taonga (treasures) as their ancestors" (Tapsell, 2014). This means that this could be seen as a way of showing the history of New Zealand, through the items that belonged to their ancestors.
In Maori tradition ownership of an object is very debated because of their beliefs around gift exchange within their culture. "in Mauss’ theories is the idea that, unlike something that changes ownership by getting bought and sold, a gift is forever bound to the giver"(Mauss, 1990). This is the same component to Maori cultural, as the one who has given the gift is bounded to the object.
Maori cultural appropriation is significantly big in New Zealand because our culture is very different and can be used as marketing for tourist. Such things as Kiwiana are components of cultural appropriation within New Zealand, to understand this more we need to understand what cultural appropriation is "Cultural appropriation is the act of adopting elements of an outside, often minority culture, including knowledge, practices, and symbols, without understanding or respecting the original culture and context." ("What Does cultural appropriation Mean? | Pop Culture by Dictionary.com", 2019). Examples of this in New Zealand are the Tiki, the Tiki is seen everywhere and even used as a marketing tool for Kiwiana. According to Maori.info "In New Zealand, however, tiki is usually applied to the human figure carved in green stone as a neck ornament. The full name is hei-tiki." ("Maori tiki", 2019), they also state "It has been suggested that this ornament is a fertility charm representing the human embryo, and that it should be worn only by women. However, early European visitors saw men wearing the hei-tiki and it is probable that the squat shape of the figure was influenced by the hardness of the material and that it was later likened to an embryo and endowed with magical powers." ("Maori tiki", 2019). Why is this bad then? this is because cultural appropriation doesn't respect the original meanings and significance behind what they are appropriating. Lester hall is a while male, and there is not a lot about him on his website because it is under construction, "He is waging war on thoughtlessness and his battlefield is identity: yours and mine. On his website he tells his story under the heading "Tangatawho?". It features one of his postage stamp series with a Maori-ised Sir Edmund Hillary and begins: "Here I, a fiftysomething, white, male, artist New Zealander create a conversation asking who is and who isn't tangata whenua."" (Taylor, 2015). After he created a bit of an argument over his art, and also due to it being cultural appropriation and his other works being offensive.
References
Hall, L. (2019). Sugar Tiki - Lester Hall Art. Retrieved from https://lesterhall.com/kiwiana/sugar-tiki.htm
Maori tiki. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.maori.info/maori_tiki.htm
In Maori tradition ownership of an object is very debated because of their beliefs around gift exchange within their culture. "in Mauss’ theories is the idea that, unlike something that changes ownership by getting bought and sold, a gift is forever bound to the giver"(Mauss, 1990). This is the same component to Maori cultural, as the one who has given the gift is bounded to the object.
Maori cultural appropriation is significantly big in New Zealand because our culture is very different and can be used as marketing for tourist. Such things as Kiwiana are components of cultural appropriation within New Zealand, to understand this more we need to understand what cultural appropriation is "Cultural appropriation is the act of adopting elements of an outside, often minority culture, including knowledge, practices, and symbols, without understanding or respecting the original culture and context." ("What Does cultural appropriation Mean? | Pop Culture by Dictionary.com", 2019). Examples of this in New Zealand are the Tiki, the Tiki is seen everywhere and even used as a marketing tool for Kiwiana. According to Maori.info "In New Zealand, however, tiki is usually applied to the human figure carved in green stone as a neck ornament. The full name is hei-tiki." ("Maori tiki", 2019), they also state "It has been suggested that this ornament is a fertility charm representing the human embryo, and that it should be worn only by women. However, early European visitors saw men wearing the hei-tiki and it is probable that the squat shape of the figure was influenced by the hardness of the material and that it was later likened to an embryo and endowed with magical powers." ("Maori tiki", 2019). Why is this bad then? this is because cultural appropriation doesn't respect the original meanings and significance behind what they are appropriating. Lester hall is a while male, and there is not a lot about him on his website because it is under construction, "He is waging war on thoughtlessness and his battlefield is identity: yours and mine. On his website he tells his story under the heading "Tangatawho?". It features one of his postage stamp series with a Maori-ised Sir Edmund Hillary and begins: "Here I, a fiftysomething, white, male, artist New Zealander create a conversation asking who is and who isn't tangata whenua."" (Taylor, 2015). After he created a bit of an argument over his art, and also due to it being cultural appropriation and his other works being offensive.
 |
| (Hall, 2019) |
References
Hall, L. (2019). Sugar Tiki - Lester Hall Art. Retrieved from https://lesterhall.com/kiwiana/sugar-tiki.htm
Maori tiki. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.maori.info/maori_tiki.htm
Roux, G. L. (2013). Marcel Mauss and the
psychology of gift-giving. Retrieved March 25, 2019, from Sciencelens:
https://sciencelens.co.nz/2013/05/10/marcel-mauss-gift-giving/
Paora Tapsell, 'Māori and museums – ngā whare taonga', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/maori-and-museums-nga-whare-taonga/print (accessed 9 May 2019)
Taylor, P. (2015). Interview with Lester Hall. [online] NZ Herald. Available at: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11515338 [Accessed 12 May 2019].
What Does cultural appropriation Mean? | Pop Culture by Dictionary.com. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/e/pop-culture/cultural-appropriation/Taylor, P. (2015). Interview with Lester Hall. [online] NZ Herald. Available at: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11515338 [Accessed 12 May 2019].
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