Nikau Hindin is reviving the ancient Māori practice of creating aute, or barkcloth, from paper mulberry plants.
Nikau Hindin (NZ)
rom across the Tasman Sea, Te Rarawa/Ngāpuhi artist Nikau Hindin is representing Aotearoa/New Zealand with her revitalisation of traditional Māori practices. Kindin makes aute (barkcloth or tapa cloth) from paper mulberry plants using ancient techniques that have been out of practice for over a century. It’s a labour-intensive process to transform the bark into a beautiful cloth that she then paints with patterns influenced by Māori weaving designs. Every step of Hindin’s process is intricate, and the resulting works are truly unique. A selection of them are being shown at White Bay Power Station alongside works by fellow barkcloth artists Ebonie Fifita-Laufilitoga-Maka, Hina Puamohala Kneubuhl, Hinatea Colombani, and Kesaia Biuvanua. NIKAU
