“Fishing was a big part of my childhood. I vividly remember waking up early in the morning and the excitement of sitting in my grandfathers little tin boat which was being towed by the tractor down to the beach at Little Huia. We would spend hours out on the Manukau Harbour catching fresh kai moana for my Nan to fillet and cook us for lunch. The thrill of the rod tugging and bending when we hooked one, fighting to wind the fish in, and then to see the silhouette and glistening colours appear as it came to the surface of the water. It was almost always a snapper, but occasionally we were lucky enough to catch a kingfish, or a beautiful gurnard with its wings fanned out in a spectacular show. I loved looking at all the details on the fish, how the scales were so perfectly lined up and the different patterns they formed. These memories and visual images have inspired my design. By combining these images with Maori patterns, I hope to showcase the unique and iconic kai moana from Aotearoa.”
Rebecca Iona
BOI Catch
