Hine One is the personification of sand, Hine Tuakirikiri is the personification of gravel. They are the children of Makatiti and Hinewaipipi. Makatiti is one of the children of Takotowai and Tuamatua.
It is said that Kirikiri Tatangi – the singing gravels on a beach shore – is also their sibling.
One kōrero associated with Hine Tuakirikiri is this one: He ope nā Hine Tuakirikiri e kore e taea te tatau. You would use it to describe a group of people where there are so many, you can’t count them all.
What does sand feel like to you? What does gravel feel like? What sounds to they make in the taiao?
Te Ngau o Hine-Moana, exhibition by Raukura Turei (2020)
Raukura Turei is a multidisciplinary artist, architect and designer. She makes paint with aumoana and onepū. The artist describes this series of work in her own words below:
Ko te ngau a Hine-Moana
Ki a Hinetūakirikiri
He ngau mutunga kore
He ngau kukume iho
Ko tōku Kuia tērā
Hine-Moana gnaws away at the shore line. With every lap of her waves a greeting to Hinetūakirikri and Hineoneone whose fine sands are slowly formed by this caress. The sea eats away at the whenua. Her sturdy defender Rakahore of rock and stone eventually merges with Parawhenuamea of silt and sediment. These fine particles slowly build up again to form the body of Papatūānuku.
This constant ebb and flow is a ceasless cycle, for centuries completely undisturbed, uninterupted.
- Raukura Turei, 2020
Images: Raukura Turei. Detail of Te poho o Hine-Kirikiri and installation view (2020)
