Few places have moved me as deeply as Cape Reinga.
Standing at the northernmost point of Aotearoa, watching the meeting of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, I was struck by the sense that this landscape carries meanings far beyond its physical beauty.
Learning about Te Rerenga Wairua—the place where spirits begin their final journey—introduced me to a way of understanding land as memory, identity and connection. The ancient Pōhutukawa tree clinging to the cliff became a powerful symbol of resilience and continuity.
As a migrant artist living between cultures, the experience resonated deeply. It inspired questions about belonging, ancestry, departure and arrival that would later become central to the development of REINGA.
Some places are destinations. Others become teachers.
Cape Reinga became one of mine.