Description:

The design recalls the story ‘How Māui Slowed the Sun’, driven by the desire to create a rich and meaningful piece that is driven by Māoritanga (Māori culture).

These stories are fundamental to Māori identity, containing philosophical thought, metaphysical constructs, cultural codes, and worldviews. These stories reflect our tīpuna (ancestors) attempt to explain the great natural phenomenon of humanity: life, death, sky, earth, space and universe. The complexity of these narratives explores who we are, where we are from, why we do things the way we do and how we organise ourselves with an eye to both the past and future.

While there are many interpretations of ‘How Māui Slowed the Sun’, the creation of this floor lamp is not an attempt to define the correct interpretation, instead, I have used this research and design process as a catalyst to reconnect with my whanau and whakapapa. I hope to create a taonga (treasure) that will be treasured for generations.

One of the most sustainable things we can do as designers is create designs that will be preserved and treasured, ultimately eliminating the ‘take-waste-model’ model that most manufacturers follow. This ideology of creating a taonga that will be preserved for generations will prevent my design from becoming waste.