Ashley Emiko | NZ Photographer

Mārohirohi 🌀 Self-tied and self-shot 📸 for my exhibition ‘For The People.’ Growing up, I remember watching the wāhine in my life weave harakeke. I’d watch in awe as their hands would move with this unspoken knowledge, passing down the art of Raranga through generations. These memories have always been a part of me, but now, I’m bringing them to life myself in a new way. I wanted to do something fresh, something I haven’t seen myself before, “Māori Shibari” if you will lol. I begun making my own rope out of harakeke. This one took nearly 3 hours, and I used the leftover harakeke from a previous shoot to minimise waste. Connecting Raranga with the art of Shibari into this very simple tie, weaving my culture, into each knot to create something beautiful. Shibari is something I’m going to explore more deeply in my mahi toi, weaving with contemporary forms of self-expression.

Some of my favourites with Jasmine at my studio.

Wahine Toa 🦂 - utilising our natural fibre Harakeke into my mahi 🌀 #forthepeople Hair & styling also by me x

Tū te ihi, tū te wanawana 🌀 Ngā mihi e @tukiritini mō tōu mana me tōu ngoi ki tēnei kaupapa, me te mihi hoki ki a @te_puia mō te tuku i te wāhi. #māori #indigenous #proudtobemāori #rotorua #nz #nzphotographer #culture #forthepeople #120mmfilm

A badass self-love, self-celebration shoot for Paloma - styled by me 🌀 One of my favourite ways to uplift and celebrate wāhine is by creating a safe space through whakaahua where they can embrace and honour themselves, walking away with meaningful, tangible memories of their experience 💗 #selflove #selflovefirst #nzphotographer #māori #selfconfidence #womenempowerwomen

Big Boi Energy for @vandal_and_hound SS24 - shot & directed by me 💪🏽 Models: @loverr244 @peter_winq @patricia_fung

A Sunday afternoon in Central Park 🌞

Ka mau te wehi he Māori ahau 🌀 E tū ana, me te mana motuhake, mō Toitū te Tiriti, ake ake ake ♥️🖤🤍 Whakaahua @toitaniwha

HĪKOI MŌ TE TIRITI - KIRIKIRIROA ♥️🖤🤍 Ka whaiwhai tonu mātou, ake ake ake!!! 💪🏽 #hīkoimōtetiriti #toitūtetiriti #māori #aotearoa #nz

Yes Madame! 🕷️🕸️ Self-Portraits for @anoeses.brand 🌹 #selfportrait #shibari #latexdress #latex #nz #nzgirl #curvefashion #darkfeminine

Kaitiaki o te Wai Tapū 🌀 My beautiful cousin’s first photoshoot in her bare vessel for my exhibition For The People. I feel very privileged to be able to capture these whakaahua in her awa. Ngā mihi Jazz for your trust, your vulnerability, and your tautoko for my kaupapa 💗 Thank you for letting me hold space for you x

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