KARAKA, Emily, 1952-
Waste Land (Maori)
In 1986, Merimeri Penfold, Senior Lecturer in
Māori, had just published the groundbreaking
Penguin book Women and the Arts in New
Zealand with Elizabeth Eastmond in the Art
History department. Reproducing works by
forty women, of whom six were Māori, this
influential book took an unashamedly feminist
approach, redressing the absence of women
(and Māori) artists from previous histories of
New Zealand art. The authors’ statement on
the imprint page stated the political intent of
the project explicitly: “We should also like to
acknowledge the crucial importance of the
women’s movement for the basic conception of
this book and for many of the perspectives
adopted.”