Maori history works not in a chronological order, but in relationships that merge, contrast, repeat and diverge. Each event in time is woven neatly into the fabric of communal memory, to guide and protect unborn generations.

   Before the advent of the written word in this country, history was recorded in place names, oral traditions and the arts of the people. Visual images were conjured within the mind, sparked be a sound, sight, or smell of a previous time or place. History was neither isolated nor obscure, but was fundamental to how people interacted with one another.

   I was reminded of this when I first saw the plethora if images in this collection. Sometimes it’s way the light bends over a landscape. Other times it’s the curve of someone’s house, their front door, the angle of a window, or the rustic familiarity of an old shed that ignites a nostalgic memory.

   The human occupation of this region is reflected in the myriad of different communities and cultures, many of which settled within the last three centuries. The themes of land and sea permeate these peoples and their lifestyles, irrespective of their mother country.

   When the British arrived last century, many ancestors were in occupation of these lands. They exerted authority from the mountains to the oceans. We were one of many families living here when land transactions were made with the New Zealand Company at Kaiteriteri. This signalled major changes for both Maori and Pakeha in Nelson / Golden Bay, with much turmoil and misunderstandings on both sides.

   This project is an example of how entwined our diverse destinies have become. Ancestral proverbs accompany contemporary images combining ancient and modern traditions. Veronique Cornille has gathered together an array of images that represent the reality of our communities much better than the posters and travel brochures, which abound on this region, could ever do.

   She has visited sacred sites of my people, and presented them with dignity and reverence. From the Marae to Farewell Spit; from source of rivers to the heights of mountain ranges, all are accorded respect. The very power of these spiritual places reach forth from the page to fill the senses. Each image is a story. Each is a snapshot of our own personal and communal stories. I invite you to share these photographs and show due regard for the sacredness contained with each. For you, and for generations to come.

Ropata Taylor, July 2001