Manawanui

This very special, limited edition (55/99) art piece was created by Maori and First Nation artists and represents the two cultures together. If you look closely, you will see an eagle, a lizard and a stingray which represent the sky, the land and the sea. The Hokioi (native New Zealand eagle) traverses the realms of the overworlds; the thunder lizard protects the “life principle” of the land; and the Whai (stingray) patrols the domain of the underworlds.

The eagle was made by Roi Toia, the lizard by Susan Point and the stingray by Todd Cooper. Together, they made a beautiful whole, the Manawanui. The centre of the piece depicts the essence of life and the evolution of death, symbolised by the two opposing spirals.