What a Curious director does on the side

Curious Film director, Robin Walters, known best for his character-driven commericals…

…has something on the side.

Like most creatives, his creativity doesn’t turn on at 9am and off at 5pm. Walters has just produced a book, MARAE – TE TATAU POUNAMU: A Journey around New Zealand’s Meeting Houses, that publisher, Random House calls, “A magnificent documentation of and tribute to New Zealand’s wharenui, big and small.”

Marae are the sacred Maori open meeting areas in which Wharenui stand. Wharenui are Maori meeting houses, the centre of any cultural, business or any other affair that’s relevant to the Maori tribe (iwi) and its ‘families’ (hapu). The Wharenui are often richly hand carved and can be found throughout New Zealand, To Maori, they embody the history and spirit of their Aotearoa (New Zealand) Maori ancestors. Consequently, Marae are considered important cultural touchstones for both Maori, and the nation.

Walters began what turned into a three year project because of his own interest in Maori culture, because his wife, Sam Walters, is a photographer and because he is a notable part of Maori cultural heritage himself. Walters’ dad is Bishop Muru Walters, a very well known Anglican minister, master carver, poet, broadcaster and former Maori All Black.

The Walters visited some of New Zealand’s major meeting houses as well as many of the more humble ones, creating detailed images of their carvings, kowhaiwhai panels, tukutuku panels and more. Many were photographed during an event and include portraits of elders and caretakers of the Marae, so the images also give a sense of Maori cultural life and activity. The images are accompanied by text that outlines the history of the Marae, and personal anecdotes of the Walters’ own encounters during their travels.