Dawn Chorus on the Fish of Maui by Paul Dibble, 2019

Dawn Chorus on the Fish of Māui involved more than a decade of making, evolving and journeying, seeming at times to have a spirit of its own.  A fish holds up a platform, or small piece of land, on its nose - as if rising out of the ocean to create an island. This brings to life the legend of the demigod Māui fishing up the North Island. The platform also refers to the hākari platforms, used historically by Māori, where food was piled high on multiple layers for significant occasions and gatherings, with ideas of celebration and a land of plenty.

The giant fish in this work originally rose under a cityscape of Auckland. Dibble then discarded the cityscape, and instead a volcano and two large birds were installed on the platform. But Dibble found fault with this variation and swapped it for this version with a tree. As the fish holds up this tree, so the tree becomes a holder for a tree-full of birds, local native birds even including the ghost of an ancient huia. The huia is a special tribute to this region from where it was last seen before extinction.

Over the last three years of its genesis various additional birds were added to the menagerie. The ruru (native owl) was an important addition for two reasons. “Nightshade” the ruru was one of the poster shots for the nearby Wildbase Recovery centre, the rescue bird pictured on social media with a small towel wrapped around it, a touching poignant portrayal. But the owl is also considered something of a personal symbol for Dibble’s hometown, Waitakaruru, which translates as “where the owl sits on the water”. The final rollcall of birds in the tree became a list of nine: pīwakawaka (fantail), tūī, huia, kererū (woodpigeon), kōkako, saddleback, korimako (bellbird), kingfisher and of course “Nightshade” the ruru.

This work was purchased by the Palmerston North Public Sculpture Trust supported by Wildbase Recovery Community Trust.