Reweti Arapere’s Artwork Becomes First Māori Visual Culture to Enter Space – Waatea News: Māori Radio Station

Moeawa Fransen

Reweti Arapere | Reweti Arapere’s Artwork Becomes First Māori Visual Culture to Enter Space

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Māori artist Reweti Arapere makes history as his artwork travels into space aboard the Hēki mission, marking the first integration of Māori visual culture in a space science project.

Māori artist and Massey University graduate Reweti Arapere has made history, with his artwork journeying into space aboard the Hēki technology mission.

Launched in September on a SpaceX Falcon 9, the piece is etched onto a superconducting magnet cover designed by the Paihau–Robinson Research Institute – marking the first integration of Māori visual culture in a space science mission.

Arapere says the names Hēki and Kōkako, gifted by Professor Rawinia Higgins, are reflected in the artwork’s design and meaning.

“What I do know about the magnetic energy forces. It’s a little like, little bit like the Ironman power source. It lights up blue on the chest of the magnet. So that’s why Rawinia Higgins named it Kōkako. So she was given the first part of naming it Kōkako, in being the energy source Hēki,” says Arapere.