Kahurangiariki Smith's waka are Te Arawa, Tainui, Takitimu, Horouta and Mataatua. Having been raised with traditional Maori values, she has a keen interest in her heritage, and the stories of her ancestors. Kahurangiariki wishes to continue putting more indigenous art out in the world.
Her art often comes through in digital formats and installation, a reflection of the media that is engaged with daily in person and online, such as gifs and video games. Kahurangiariki believes there is power within the intersection of traditional perspectives and contemporary media. Here, within that tension, one may explore the potential for indigenous voices in unlimited ways.
Art Practice
Kahurangiariki's practise spans multiple media - video game, video, installation. She approaches all research with a tikanga (protocol) based approach so the resulting artwork adheres to Māori values. While studying at Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design, Kahurangiariki has developed a range of works that address histories of colonisation, reclaiming / recontextualising traditional knowledge of atua wāhine (goddesses), and examine the present-day consequences of historical events. In the work 'FOB', Kahurangiariki created a satirical shooter-style game in which points are gained by shooting money at oncoming savages. In 'MāoriGrl' she took a different approach to colonisation by attempting to decolonise the story of Hinenui-te-pō in a narrative-based video game, incorporating her mother's knowledge of atua wāhine to create an inter-generational work. More recent work such as 'Kaiwaka 13th May - 16th June' and 'Taurarua / Okahu' have consisted of activating natural material gathered (and later returned) from specific sites, treating land as body and creating 'exchanges' with place. This line of research led to her graduate installation, 'Introduced Species', incorporating a process of collecting and drying asparagus fern, burning it, and creating ink to gift to Ngāti Hei. Kahurangiariki has since collaborated with knowledge holders, exploring karaoke as a format to exchange indigenous knowledge, with hopes to archive this footage into an archive for learning.
