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Matahi Brightwell

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Matahi Brightwell
ONZM
Headshot of Brightwell, after his investiture as ONZM, at Government House, Auckland
Brightwell in 2022
Born
Gregory John Brightwell

1952 (age 71–72)
Masterton, New Zealand
Other names
  • Matahi Whakataka Brightwell
  • Matahi Avauli Brightwell
OccupationMaster carver
Known forFounder of waka ama in New Zealand
Notable workSculpture of Ngātoro-i-rangi at Mine Bay, Lake Taupō

Matahi Whakataka Brightwell ONZM (born Gregory John Brightwell in 1952) is a New Zealand master carver and a founder of the waka ama (outrigger canoe racing) sport in New Zealand. His notable artworks include a sculpture in cliffside stone of Ngātoro-i-rangi at Mine Bay, Lake Taupō, carved from 1976 to 1980, which has been recognised as important to the district and local iwi. In 1985 he built the canoe Hawaikinui-1 in Tahiti, which he and others sailed to New Zealand to reflect Māori migration from Polynesia to New Zealand. He subsequently brought the waka ama sport to New Zealand.

Early life, family and carvings[edit]

Brightwell was born in 1952 in Masterton.[1][2] He is of Kāti Huirapa, Ngāti Toa, Te Roro-o-te-Rangi (Ngāti Whakaue), Ngāti Tunohopu and Rongowhakaata descent.[3] Brightwell was a pallbearer for James K. Baxter at his funeral in 1972, and participated in the Māori Land March in 1975.[4]

In 1978, Brightwell carved a tipuna whare (ancestral house) for Ngāti Toa at Takapūwāhia as well as an ancestral pouwhenua for the Kāti Huirapa hapū in the South Island.[5] In 1980 he completed a pouwhenua recording the whakapapa of Parekōhatu, the mother of Te Rauparaha, installed at Tawatawa Reserve in Wellington.[5] In 2022, Brightwell and his daughter Taupuru Ariki Whakataka Brightwell collaborated on restoring and re-designing this pouwhenua.[6] A tōtara sculpture he created in 1998 is held in the art collection at Te Papa, New Zealand's national museum.[1]

In February 2023, Brightwell lost artworks, sculptures and waka when his Gisborne house was damaged during Cyclone Gabrielle.[7]

Ngātoro-i-rangi sculpture[edit]

Brightwell's sculpture of Ngātoro-i-rangi at Mine Bay

From 1976 to 1980 Brightwell worked with a team of four others to carve a 14-metre-high (46 ft) sculpture of Ngātoro-i-rangi into the cliffside at Mine Bay, Lake Taupō.[8][9][10] The sculpture is surrounded by smaller sculptures of tūpuna (ancestors) and kaitiaki (guardians).[8][10] Brightwell's grandmother, Te Huatahi Susie Gilbert, had requested that he carve a sculpture of Ngātoro-i-rangi, and Brightwell had been unable to find a suitable tōtara tree.[8]

The sculpture was initially controversial, with a local councillor complaining "outsiders should not be cutting into our rock".[11] Brightwell decided to leave the sculpture's eyes blank due to the negative reception.[8]

In November 2016, a blessing took place to recognise the importance of the Ngātoro-i-rangi sculpture to the Taupō district and local iwi.[8] Brightwell carved a smaller version of the sculpture on tōtara, Ngatoroirangi Iti, which was displayed at the Taupō visitor centre.[8] In 2019 Brightwell sought donations to support the restoration of some of the smaller sculptures as well as carvers who could take over maintenance.[10]

Waka carving and waka ama[edit]

Brightwell has said that he sees waka carving as an artform akin to his sculptural carving.[3] A wooden paddle carved by Brightwell in 1994 is in the collection of the British Museum.[12]

In 1985, Brightwell built the 22m double-hulled canoe Hawaikinui-1 in Tahiti, using wood from tōtara trees from Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park.[3][13] To emulate Māori migration from Polynesia to New Zealand, he sailed it to Rarotonga and New Zealand under Tahitian captain Francis Cowan, arriving on 6 January 1986 at Ōkahu Bay, Ōrākei, after a three-month voyage.[3][14][15] He was awarded the Blue Water Medal, presented by Paul Reeves, for this achievement.[3] The canoe was subsequently displayed at the Musée de Tahiti et des Îles in Tahiti.[15] His time living in Tahiti also led him to encounter the waka ama sport, which he and his wife Raipoia brought back to New Zealand.[16][17]

Brightwell founded the Mareikura Canoe Club shortly after, and travelled around New Zealand introducing waka ama to local Māori. The club has since developed into the nationwide Waka Ama Club organisation with over 80 clubs.[3][18] For this work, Brightwell was bestowed with the Samoan chief's title of Avauli in 1998, was named Māori Sports Coach of the Year in 2002 and has been inducted into the New Zealand Waka Ama Hall of Fame.[3][16][19]

In the 2022 Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours, Brightwell was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to waka ama.[3][20]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Matahi Brightwell". Museum of New Zealand | Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Brightwell, Greg". Find NZ Artists. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Schwanecke, Gianina (6 June 2022). "Man behind Lake Taupo rock carvings and 'father of waka ama' recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours". Stuff. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Whakataka-Brightwell, Greg Matahi, active 1972–2016". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  5. ^ a b Wong, Justin (28 March 2022). "Master carver returns 40 years later to restore Wellington pouwhenua". Stuff. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  6. ^ Mane, Mārena (6 April 2022). "Father and daughter collaborate on art project carved over 40 years ago". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  7. ^ O'Connor, Matai (16 February 2023). "Matahi Brightwell loses sculptures and artworks when Waimata River overflows into his property". Gisborne Herald. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d e f McMichael, Laurilee (1 November 2016). "Taupo master carver recognised at last for spectacular modern Maori lake artwork". The Rotorua Daily Post. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  9. ^ "All eyes on Matahi Brightwell". Radio New Zealand. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  10. ^ a b c "Donations sought to restore Taupō's modern Māori rock carvings". Taupo & Turangi Weekender. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  11. ^ Watson, Mike (18 February 2013). "Cliff carvings inspired 'art genius'". The Dominion Post. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  12. ^ "paddle". The British Museum. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  13. ^ Barclay-Kerr, Hoturoa (5 September 2013). "Hawaikinui, 1985". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Maori canoe sails into Okahu Bay". The Press. 7 January 1986. p. 4. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Tahitian canoe's singular trip". The Press. 10 January 1986. p. 22. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  16. ^ a b Fransen, Moeawa (9 June 2022). "Waka journey Pacific wide for Brightwell". Waatea News. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Growth of Waka Ama case study". Sport New Zealand | Ihi Aotearoa. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Queens Birthday Honour – Matahi Brightwell". Waka Ama NZ / Nga Kaihoe o Aotearoa Inc. 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  19. ^ "The Queen's Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours List 2022". The New Zealand Herald. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
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