raahui / rāhui
1. (verb) (-ngia,-tia) to put in place a temporary ritual prohibition, closed season, ban, reserve - traditionally a rāhui was placed on an area, resource or stretch of water as a conservation measure or as a means of social and political control for a variety of reasons which can be grouped into three main categories: pollution by tapu, conservation and politics. Source: https://maoridictionary.co.nz/word/6420
At the beginning of New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdown I loaded a film into a camera, jumped on a bike, and rode around my subdivision, snapping what I saw that was at odds with what I normally see.
It was a weird experience for me. Early autumn, 26ºc, blue skies, still - but apocalyptic and desecrated.
The film came back from the lab today, scanned in mirror image: which I think suits my raahui perfectly.
Thank you to my neighbours and the community of Cambridge Park for this.
