Description:

'True North' is an illustrated book and research project which crafts an anectdotal, mythological, historical and conservational account of the Northboro Reserve ecosystem. This publication weaves my personal connection to the reserve with the tales and history surrounding its fauna and flora, exploring how Aotearoa’s indigenous knowledge of place can connect individuals to their local environment. Much like the reserve, the publication is serene and unassuming, but holds a myriad of life and knowledge inside. The illustrated set of cards adds another layer of engagement to connect the reader to the different taonga of the reserve – they can function as flash cards, mementos, wall decorations, or an invitation to visit the reserve and see the birds, trees and even eels depicted come to life.

By placing Matauranga Maori at the forefront of the project’s place-based investigation, ‘Te Ao Marama’ serves as a conceptual framework for illustrating the reserve: exploring everything in nature as part of a cosmic family. In particular, the creation stories that emphasize the cycle of light (Te Ao) and darkness (Te Pō), white and black, which influenced the monochromatic visual system and celestial motifs of the publication.

The illustrations themselves are displayed and titled as ‘plates’, and inspired by the techniques of lino printing & border design seen in traditional artbooks – this combined with simplicity and legibility of information evokes a timelessness in the work, making it accessible to a wide audience. In order to prioritise this accessibility, the perfect bound softcover publication is an intuitive size to flip through, large enough to allow the plates to breathe while maintaining a light format. The narrative weaves through time and place – moving the reader from myths and stories from times past, to gods which uplifted the land and formed volcanos, through forest and shore and into the future. It is a celebration of the resilience of life in Northboro Reserve, of the knowledge passed on to us by our ancestors, and of the magic which is around us, if we just take enough care to look closer.