Deepen*

Deepen*

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Photo of Misty and guests mid-convo having a yarn and a laugh.

Memory, imagination and kōrero: A recollection of Misty Frequency’s Deepen* dinner and activation

During Pride month and as part of our Deepen* kaupapa, Pelenakeke Brown invited artists to design an evening around their artistry and community. These intimate, intentional and Covid-19 conscious dinners were an antidote to the loud and large-scale Pride events.

Artist Misty Frequency’s (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Kāi Tahu, Ngā Rauru) dinner was a celebration of Takatāpuitanga and neurodivergent experience. These recollections of the night (some documented, some not) as told by Deepen* curator Pelenakeke Brown. Photos by Shelley Te Haara.

Hāmiora is sitting at a picnic table, head bowed leading a karakia. Guests are surrounding him with their heads bowed or looking out thoughtfully.

The evening began with karakia. A karakia that our kaiawhi Hāmiora Bailey (Ngāti Porou Ki Harataunga, Ngāti Huarere) for the evening (or more well known as co-director of Auckland Pride) had created after kōrero with our artist Misty. All of us - guests, kaiawhi and Deepen* team - gathered outside together. Hāmiora formally opened our space by grounding us in the following karakia.

Hōhonu te hā
Ka puta te hā
Hōhou te rongo
Whakapiripiri mai tātou
Uri nō ngā hau tipua
Ka whakahōhonutia ki ō tātou tuakiritanga
Ka whakahōhonutia ki ō tātou mātauranga
Kia uru atu ki roto i ngā tikanga
Ko te tūmanako
Tātou te rāngai whai kaha
Tātou te rāngai whai ora
Haumi e, hui e, tāiki e!

Deepen your connection to
The sacred essence of life
Return to peace
Come together everyone
As descendents of extraordinary beings
Let us deepen our understanding of identity
Let us deepen our understanding of knowledge
And dive into our knowledge systems and cultural practices that await to enrich us.
This is our hope
That together we are strengthened as the many
That we continue to bring health & vitality
United, bound and affirmed!

As taonga for our guests to keep, we printed the karakia and its translation in reo pakeha for our guests. As well as putiputi woven by mahi toi, raranga by Ahi Nyx.

To understand more about the karakia and how it is embedded within the kaupapa of the evening, the following kōrero is shared by Hāmiora Bailey:

"Misty shared kōrero about the mist travelling over the mountains at Ihumātao and the sense of anticipation and calm that coalesced. One way we honour the mist and a sense of peace within Karakia is through our breath. This is the role the first three lines of the karakia hold:"

Hōhonu te hā
Ka puta te hā
Hōhou te rongo

Connect with your breathe
Release your breathe
Deepen your relationship with the sacred essence of life
Return to peace

"Speaking of Mahuika, Misty and I reflected on how our unique abilities and identity is an investiture of whakapapa. Like her fire/whaea’s Misty's femininity is a reflection of ahi kaa & mana wāhine. This is why the kupu “Hau Tipua” has been used. Meaning supernatural beings, beings of great potentiality. This kōrero is affirmed by Rangatira Rodney Bell."

Whakapiripiri mai tātou
Uri nō ngā hau tipua
Ka whakahōhonutia ki ō tātou tuakiritanga
Ka whakahōhonutia ki ō tātou mātauranga
Kia uru atu ki roto i ngā tikanga

Come together everyone
(Deepen* places us at the centre)
Descendents of extraordinary beings
Deepen your understanding of identity
Deepen your understanding of knowledge
Dive into our knowledge systems and cultural practices that await to enrich you
(Deepen* our sovereignty as queer, disabled people and tāngata whaikaha)

"The final stanza of the karakia was inspired by the intention we want our whānau to leave with. Misty spoke about wanting people to feel empowered to celebrate their unique identities. And to encourage a sense of creativity that advocates, celebrates, demonstrates, captivates and stimulates."

Ko te tūmanako
Tātou te rāngai whai kaha
Tātou te rāngai whai ora
Haumi e, hui e, tāiki e!

This is our hope
That together we are strengthened as the many
That we make one another healthy
United, bound and affirmed!

- Hāmiora Bailey, Kaiawhi and Co-Director of Auckland Pride

After the karakia we each entered single file into Nathan Homestead in Manurewa, Tāmaki Makaurau. As we went in, Misty was kneeling behind their installation.

We silently gathered to witness Misty as they activated through movement and voice within their installation ‘Kawakawa’. Misty performed to music by artist Hasji.

Misty is mid-movement, dressed in their signature red, white and black. They are behind their installation and the light is coming in from behind from the bay windows offering a shadow effect across their body.

A black and white photo of Misty Frequency looking out mysteriously as they stand in front of their installation.

The installation included multiple red strings hung from above, within the bay window. Each string had fabric shaped kawakawa leaves with red, white and black koru decorated on one side hung along each string. Each strand was held up with spaces in between to move within. The kawakawa leaves left heart-shaped shadows across the floor.

In Misty’s own words, they shared a whakaaro around their installation artwork ‘Kawakawa’:

Kawakawa, known for its healing properties, has been used in traditional rongoā Māori for centuries. Creating is how I heal my hinengaro, my wairua. Practicing tradition through modernity. It's a connection to my tīpuna. Mana enhancing. Āke, Ake, Ake.

Misty Frequency

Live sound artist Hasji bent over multiple instruments mid-performance.

The night was a collaboration full of Misty’s friends and artists contributing to the space. Each element thoughtfully included by many hands. Misty had invited artist Hasji, an experimental live artist to create a soundscape, in real time. This broke the stillness in the air after Misty’s performance and many of us greeted each other and got to know each other as we explored Misty’s installation.

Guests are looking up at the installation, looking intently at the details while another guest looks out, mid-kōrero. The sun is setting so the light is flooding in and obscures part of their faces.

From the other side of the installation one guest is walking through the installation, while another looks up delighted smiling. The sun is setting so the light is flooding in and obscures part of their faces.

These red hinaki (fishing nets) were woven by artist Ahi Nyx and adorned our table. The muka dyed red to fit in with Misty’s colour scheme of red, white and black.

These red hinaki (fishing nets) were woven by artist Ahi Nyx (Te Āti Awa me Ngāti Raukawa) and adorned our table. The muka dyed red to fit in with Misty’s colour scheme of red, white and black. These hinaki were intentionally woven to catch all the kōrero shared between us all during the evening. And to let go of any kōrero that need not be remembered.

Here raranga toi Ahi Nyx is smiling and laughing mid-kōrero with Dr Huhana Hickey.

Now, the real mahi began. Hākari. We moved from tapu to noa by sharing kai together. We had a karakia mo te kai printed at each place setting so that we could each speak it together.

All the guests are seated along the table and look adoringly at Misty. Misty sits at the head of the table, their back to us wearing a jacket that reads 'land back'. It is a powerful image.

The evening was chef’d by Gia’s Grab & Go. Chefs ‘Ana and Memree, with waitstaff Janelle. They created a bespoke, culinary experience which responded to Misty’s installation ‘Kawakawa’ by creating a menu infused with and inspired by kawakawa as a key ingredient along with other native ingredients.

Misty, Hāmiora and Pelenakeke are dining and living their best life. It looks like Hāmiora is sharing some juicy gossip as Misty laughs in response, Pelenakeke's face is obscured.

The things that I remember that were not documented from the evening include. Each of our delighted faces as our chefs explained the menu and each course to us. The joy and surprise I witnessed as we learnt about their sustainable food practice, the menu’s intentional design bring in elements of the taiao and the connecting us to Moana nui a kiwa.

Our Mauri should always speak through our kai.

Gia's Grab & Go

Dinner felt like an experiential theatre piece where the audience doesn’t know what will happen next but eagerly awaits instruction. It reminded me that tangata whenua and tangata moana are artists and performers; even when doing something as simple as explaining a dish that they created. It was so fun to witness everyone’s excitement, the oohs and ahhs as we tried familiar tastes in new ways (for me, pureed taro!) or even if everything was completely new to us.

Close up of a place setting with a designed invitation reads Deepen* Misty Frequency with a shell on top

Other things that live on in my memory were the incredible fashion with a few guests in Papa Clothing, another wearing a Palestinian keffiyah, some in literal rainbow outfits and, of course, the tino rangatiratanga colours of red, white and black.

The night ended how any great whānau dinner party should- with us all chipping in and helping in someway. This included gifting the beautiful hinaki to guests, our left over Taha drinks and whatever else needed to go. I went upstairs to pack out our green room and came down to the tables, chairs and dishes that had all been packed away. There was laughing and hugs and people not wanting to leave, just yet.

That’s always the sign of a good hang eh, the lingering goodbye and the calls that I hope we can do this again!

I am truly honoured to be able to hold safe space for my communities. That's for us, by us. To be involved in the Deepen* kaupapa that encapsulates my own kaupapa. Activism and advocacy through creativity and celebrating each other in a safe, wholesome setting.

Misty Frequency

This evening couldn't have been possible without the support of our venue Nathan Homestead and their team and Auckland Pride.

Creative Team:
Artist: Misty Frequency
Live Music: Hasji
Mahi toi Raranga: Ahi Nyx
Kaiawhi: Hamiora Bailey
Chef: Gia’s Grab and Go
Venue: Nathan Homestead
Project Coordinator: Beth Awatere
Producer/Curator: Pelenakeke Brown