Papatūānuku Black (transparent) Earring

This design has been illustrated to resemble both roots and whakapapa lines (family tree). When I think of Papatūānuku, I think of my connection to the whenua (land), and my whanau legacy or whakapapa (genealogy). So it was important for me to create a design that resembled both. This moko kauae aims to replicate lines that resemble roots implanted into the land, as well as mimicking whakapapa or genealogy lines in that of a family tree.

In the separation story of Ranginui and Papatūānuku, Papatūānuku longed and grieved quietly- her needs were not at the forefront of this pūrākau and yet she needed to remain strong for the sake of everyone else- for the life of her childrens many offspring depended on it. If Papatūānuku is sick, we all feel the flow on affects. If she is looked after and well, we all thrive. I find it a natural part of our feminine nature that we too often sacrifice our needs for the betterment of our whānau. This is true in my personal experiences as a māmā.

We can learn from the story of Papatūānuku, if she thrives, her whānau will thrive, inspiring us to make self-care a priority in our lives. This collection is an acknowledgement to the many sacrifices that are made for our whānau and serves as a reminder to nurture and care for our own needs a wairua (spiritual needs), a Tinana (physical needs) , a Hinengaro (mental and emotional needs) and a whānau (connection/relationship needs).