INTERVIEW David K Shields
PHOTOGRAPHY Bau
Kiri Nathan, a trailblazing Māori fashion designer, continues to redefine the intersection of culture and couture on a global scale. Known for her work blending traditional Māori craftsmanship with contemporary fashion, we spoke to her after she was invited to Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) Fashion Week as one of the first international Indigenous designers to take part. Her attendance at the event, which champions the creativity of local emerging designers, celebrates accordingly Nathan’s innovative approach to honouring cultural heritage through fashion.
Kiri’s presence emphasised not only the influence of Māori artistry on the contemporary world of fashion but also strengthens ties among Indigenous communities, empowering shared narratives of resilience, identity, tradition and responsibilities to culture. “There’s a real sense of pride, and the people who are involved – the models and the designers and so forth – know they’re part of something that’s really valuable and thought of very highly. It was beautiful to see – they really cared, and were proud to be a part of something like this.”
“There’s massive room for development. Their culture is stunning, and quite fascinating actually – there are 856 different languages, and around 711 different villages or iwi. Many children for example, have parents who come from two different villages, and therefore they speak completely different languages, and have completely different cultures and kākahu (clothing). This creates rich mixes of cultural nuances, language, traditional clothing, and social aspects. Amongst it all there is some insane creativity.”
“Let’s break it down… Sovereignty = Responsibilities. What is made, is the responsibility of the maker. Personally I don’t think anyone has the right to draw form other people’s cultures. If we are drawing from our own culture to inspire creativity – whether it be art, clothing for sale or gifting, or visualisation – as creatives and makers we have a responsibility to protect and reciprocate to the culture that we are drawing from. Protection is achieved through education and action – asking permissions, kōrero (discussions), mindful development and best practices. Knowledge of your responsibilities – accountability for yourself, your creativity and your business – and contributing to the Indigenous circular economies, is a collective way to aspire to sovereignty.”
“Minority groups, when together, experience collective learning and are able to share a cohesive narrative – they have a louder voice. The sharing of information is better for everyone. I’ve been developing shared indigenous platforms for many years now, actively working towards our Kāhui collective platform being available for all indigenous peoples around the world. I 100% believe that is the future.”
“The most important thing is that we’re protecting, and reciprocating to, our cultures. One of the spinoffs of that will be an advanced availability; of revenue streams for people who may not have been able to access markets, or learning about different options when manufacturing, or in the sourcing of fabrics and mediums. Increased globalisation, of culturally conscious designers and makers who contribute to the indigenous circular economy, means they are creating sovereignty, creating autonomy for their whānau (family), hapū and iwi (people). Tuakana – Teina models should be practiced to ensure emerging designers understand their superpowers and responsibilities – part of this is protecting our culture from misappropriation. We need to be the ones telling our own stories, and it’s the same for any culture.”
This is only a glimpse into a much deeper and considered perspective.
We invite you to read the full conversation in It’s Interval: STELLAR, where Nathan expands on the responsibilities, tensions, and possibilities shaping Indigenous fashion today – and what it truly means to create with purpose.
Featured in It’s Interval STELLAR – view full story and more from this issue!