New Zealand

A Woman Who Doesn't Know Her Place: A Texas Artist Photographs New Zealand.

Rotorua, New Zealand, early February 2005 - Kelli and a small tribe of retired British couples toured a Maori cultural center for enlightenment on ancient and modern tribal customs. Here is her story.

"After herding us through a set of geyser fields, our extremely handsome guide lead us to a giant studio of half finished Maori wood carvings. Maori carvings depict their ancestors and tells their history without words. Our gorgeous guide, in traditional flax skirt and speaks with a not quite British accent says, "I'm sorry you cannot view the young men working today as they are on summer break. These men earn degrees in cultural arts of our tribes. These young warriors carve the legends and family histories from our native Kauri trees. Shaped Abalone shell and sea mammal bone are inserted as details like eyes."

"A little background on the audience of this revealing pattern will heighten your reaction to the next words exchanged. My dear fellow travelers and little Kelli, complete with twang and fringed jacket, had been living together on a bus for a week thus far. There was a mercurial, macho retired sea captain and his meek wife, some lovely 80ish aristocrats who loved talking about improvements ongoing to their castle, two English country women who ironed their clothes every morning, an English WWII veteran, back to seek old buddies from his training in NZ, a special woman, named Dawn, traveling with her mother Margaret and several others listened politely."

"Dawn and I became gal pals on the trip. This sweet, educated English feminist is 1'3" taller than I with perfect manners and a cutting wit.

To wit:

Guide, "The young men will return next month."
Me, "What about the young women?"
Guide, "What young women?"
Me, "The young women who go to the school here at the cultural center!"
Guide, "They won't."
Me, "Won't what?"
Guide, "Come back."
Me, "Why not?"
Guide, "Because Maori women know their place!"

"Apparently, Maori women are forbidden to carve - it is just not acceptable. The men can't even imagine a women being so important. (Watch the movie Whale Rider.) Their much beloved queen is not permitted to speak in public and she must whisper her wishes to her eldest son in formal ceremonies. My tongue bleed from keeping my mouth closed to further comment.

I was alone near the antarctic speaking to a warrior on scared land about his sacred customs. Okay! I speak in public in my community even when the city council doesn't like the speech. But, my feminist friend, Dawn, is big enough to pick that little warrior up and toss him across a big ole tree stump for a good paddling to improve his manners. So, this is a 'Hi from Texas Dawn!!!!', and thus is the title for the Photographic Series Of  New Zealand; "I AM A WOMAN WHO DOESN'T KNOW HER PLACE ."

Click here for a photo layout of my New Zealand series.