Tohorā is anchored by the presence of a pygmy sperm whale skull, recovered from a baby that stranded with its mother at Wharekauhau, on the Southern coast of the Wairarapa. The surrounding artworks draw on the physical, spiritual and cultural properties of this taonga to explore Kāi Tahu relationships with tohorā.
The spiritual connection between Kāi Tahu and tohorā stretches back before the first migration to Aotearoa. Waiata, pūrākau, whakataukī and place names record the role of tohorā as ancestors, guides and kaitiaki. With the arrival of Takata Pora (ship people), and the establishment of the whaling industry, came new relationships between tohorā and people.
Fragility and strength; memory and materiality; power and care: Tohorā sits at the intersection of these collision points, acknowledging the many histories and whakapapa which connect Kāi Tahu and tohorā.