Māori Mermaid | Aotearoa Artist on Navigating Two Worlds and Healing Through Art
Māori Mermaid | Aotearoa artist on navigating two worlds and healing through art.
Full-time writer, artist and creator of Māori Mermaid, Jessica Thompson Carr, shares how her creative process is driven by instinct and the ongoing discovery of her complex identity as a Māori and Pākehā (European descent) woman living in Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand). Her art, created for and by someone part of two worlds, is a reminder of the emotional yet healing process of learning and decolonizing one’s understanding of the world. Jessica was born and raised in Dunedin, Aotearoa. Her iwi (tribes) are Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Ruanui. Follow Jessica on Instagram @maori_mermaid.
What’s it like navigating the world as a Māori and Pākehā woman?
I’m navigating the world being mixed and learning how to decolonize the spaces around me. Researching Aotearoa’s history of colonization and how Māori have been treated throughout the years have been critical to my journey of self-discovery.
At times, I find myself filled with rage when I think about the effects of colonization on the Indigenous community. All you can do is learn to heal from the generational trauma and find ways to contribute positively to your community.
What gives me strength is knowing that there are many people who relate with this identity crisis. It’s good to know you are not alone on this journey.
Māori Mermaid | Aotearoa artist on navigating two worlds and healing through art.
How would you describe your art style and creative process?
I would describe my drawing style as highly feminine, simple, and colorful. It’s got a magical element though. I want to enforce the notion that, as boring or normal as you might feel, you are still a magical being.
Being both Māori and Pākehā, I often highlight the complexity of being part of two worlds. My art can be very emotional and often comes from moments of extreme panic, love, or obsession over something beautiful and interesting. Recently, Māori goddesses and wahine (women) have been a huge inspiration.
I also write poetry. When I was younger, I wanted to illustrate my own books, so I drew and wrote all the time. When I’m confused and distressed, I write poetry. When I’m in pain and want to try and make sense of it all, I draw. It’s a great way to navigate the identity crisis that I feel on a daily basis.
Tell us about a time you used art to uplift your community.
Last year, I photographed a land rights event in Auckland. It was an opportunity for me to stand in solidarity with our community and write poetry around this emotional event. It not only taught me what it means to be part of a community as a part Māori and Pākehā woman, but also how far Aotearoa has to go to reclaim what’s rightfully ours.
Māori Mermaid | Aotearoa artist on navigating two worlds and healing through art.
What does the future have in store for Māori Mermaid?
I am aiming to get my poetry book published, finalize my online shop, continue making art, get involved in Māori activism, fight to get more land rights, and eventually work for my iwi. If my online platform expands, I hope to lift up Māori voices and make a space for them.
On a personal level, I’m learning to pace myself. Sometimes, you can’t help but feel the weight of the world. It’s easy to feel like you’re not contributing enough, but it’s important to recognize that you can’t do everything at once, and that’s okay.
Māori Mermaid | Aotearoa artist on navigating two worlds and healing through art.
What advice do you have for aspiring Indigenous artists?
Engage in your community. Don’t isolate yourself. Get out there and find inspiration from your people. There’s a Māori saying that I hold close to my heart, and I hope it resonates with my fellow Indigenous artists:
He aha te mea nui o te ao. He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.