Ariki Vaine (Chiefess Woman) is a two-part video series reflecting the story and importance of Mother Earth through Cook Island dance, while exploring the importance of cultural lineage and connection to my ancestors.

Women in my family have been vital role models in my upbringing, and Ariki Vaine displays a graciousness toward the leaders of our culture. The work engages with the disconnection of being biracial, and the importance of connecting with our heritage to understand ourselves.

Layered with archival footage and visuals of nature from the Islands, the work highlights the importance of the figural and literal meaning of ‘mother’ within the Polynesian culture. The two videos, Māmā and Maine, create a conversational barrier through language and movement, between the past and the future, utilising performance as a universal language of storytelling. Ariki Vaine work highlights the importance of maintaining Indigenous cultures that are being lost through a colonised world.

Progress: Ariki Vaine 

Morgan Hogg, Ariki Vaine (still), 2021, single-channel video, sound. Commissioned by Beirut Art Center and Firstdraft, with the support of the Keir Foundation.