Explore the rich ecological and cultural histories of Māruawai Gore and the wider Mataura River Valley through 26 major artworks by botanical and wildlife artist Jo Ogier. Developed through a long-term research partnership between Hokonui Rūnanga and Eastern Southland Gallery, He Wai Apakura – Te Ara Pounamu | The River’s Lament – A Pathway of Treasures brings together detailed depictions of indigenous plants, birds, insects and freshwater species with oral histories, archival research and mātauraka shared by kaumātua and other experts of this Murihiku Southland region.

Field trips with the rūnanga’s environmental team informed Ogier’s exploration of mahika kai sites and the habitats that sustain them. Her paintings weave together species, their early names and associated places, inviting us to consider the relationships between waterways, biodiversity and cultural memory.