Sofia Minson - Huia Ariki

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Beautifully Framed 1020mm x 800mm

Sofia painted "Huia Ariki" on 36 loose canvases, joined together to form a korowai or cloak-like garment with woven flax, feathers and rope. The designs are influenced by traditional Māori, Pacific and Eastern motifs. The mandala at the heart centre of the bird is an ancient Hindu and Buddhist circular pattern symbolising the universe.

A now extinct native

Huia are a now extinct native New Zealand bird species, which were mainly black with a green metallic tinge and bright orange wattles. Huia tail feathers, distinctively tipped with white, were prized for their use in traditional Māori headdresses.

Māori referred to certain huia as huia-ariki or "chiefly huia". The huia-ariki were a brownish colour streaked with grey and it is unknown whether this variant was partially albino or just of great age.