12 Jun 2022

The sacred harbour island, or Motutapu

From Standing Room Only, 1:46 pm on 12 June 2022
Motutapu Work Image

Motutapu Work Image Photo: supplied

Benjamin Work

Benjamin Work Photo: supplied

Pacific nations often have a Motutapu, or sacred island, positioned at the entrance of their harbours.

Aotearoa has Motutapu Island in Waitematā Harbour in Tāmaki Makaurau, and there are others in Tonga and Rarotonga too. 

Long-time friends, and now collaborators, artist Benjamin Work and photographer Brendan Kitto became fascinated with these islands with which they have deep family connections.

So over four years they visited all three sites.  And that work has just gone on show in an exhibition called Motutapu, at Te Uru in Tamaki Makarau.

There's also a book of their images and some accompanying essays.

Lynn Freeman first asked Brendan and Benjamin how they first met: