Inanga in Inangahua

As an artist I was looking for an original idea to create with my community that was original and peculiar to Inangahua.

Inangahua; what does it mean?

Inanga: whitebait

Hua: originate, abundant, product, gain

I chose the silhouette of the adult inanga as that is what we have this far inland. This art project is a slightly humorous and poignant statement of our towns name and our location as the gateway to the Buller region.

With funding from Creative Communities NZ we purchased plywood, paints, brushes... etc.

Community members came along to the Hall. We cut out shapes with a Jigsaw, then sanded and undercoated them.  The creative process on the blanks was their own. A wide variety of colours and expressions resulted in a very interesting school of inanga on the hall, fences and buildings around Inangahua.

I am very proud of the creative results of this project and enjoyed the connections whilst gathering the community to create together. The visual impact is enjoyed and valued by residents and travellers alike.