Hina; by Jonny 4Higher

I was sad to hear of the sudden death on Saturday 06 July 2013 of Teleri Williams (Chaiselongue on blip). Her photography (and poems) covered urban as well as non urban themes. I have learned that she was an avid contributor to the One Street Project.

Kendell said in response to a slightly throwaway remark I made a while ago, that it would be acceptable to start on a second One Street.Maybe I will do that and maybe this photo taken just off Karangahape Road (aka K Road) could be the start. A couple of months ago the production of 12 murals in the K Road area by 13 artists, was organised as an event over two or three days. Since learning of this, I have thrice gone out with the intention of getting my blip from one of the 12. I have chosen a different (earlier) mural each time.

This evening I was enough in advance of darkness to get this picture by the same artist who did the alternative I posted almost three weeks ago.

Hina is a Polynesian goddess; the moon goddess. In Hawaiian legends, Hina was the mother of Maui, the demi God. In the Maori legend, Maui fished Aotearoa (New Zealand) from the bottom of the ocean.

The Polynesian legends of Hina differ (see here). The Maori legend "says that the woman went after water in the night. As she passed down the path to the spring the bright light of the full moon made the way easy for her quick footsteps. but when she filled her calabash and started homeward, suddenly the bright light was hidden by a passing cloud and she stumbled against a stone in the path and fell to the ground spilling the water she was carrying. Then she became very angry and cursed the mood heartily. Then the moon became angry and swiftly swept down on her from the skies, grasping her and lifting her up. In her terrible fight she caught a small tree with one hand and her calabash with the other. But oh! the strong moon pulled her up with the tree and the calabash and there in the full moon they can all be traced when the nights are clear."

A security light gives a yellow cast to the right side, while the silver moon is held in Hina's palm.

In memoriam, Chaiselongue, who will be missed by many. Kendall quoted a comment made by Teleri Williams just over a year ago, when she commented on the use of light and shadow to create an image. I have tried to use the different sources of light and shadow in presenting this mural today.