Stevei

The interview begins with a discussion about Stevei's initial hesitance to join the "Butch on Butch" project due to the term "butch" not aligning with their Māori heritage. Stevei identifies as wāhine toa, a term denoting strong, capable women who can navigate both traditionally male and female roles, particularly in their community and on the marae. This term felt more appropriate and inclusive of Stevei's identity than "butch." The interviewer acknowledges this interaction as a learning experience that informed the rest of the project's approach.

Stevei shares insights into their background, revealing a history and involvement with the sport of softball, representing New Zealand internationally. Beyond sports, Stevei is deeply immersed in art, working predominantly with clay and exploring the integration of Pacific and Māori patterns in their works and into the realm of tattooing. Discussing growing up, Stevei mentions the complexities of gender presentation and societal perceptions, recounting the discomfort faced in public spaces and the strong influence of their family's teachings.

Furthermore, Stevei details plans for an upcoming project that will be collaborative with another artist, Rose Bean Simpson, in the USA. They will be investigating the concept of being 'two-spirited', a term used by native Americans to describe individuals embodying both masculine and feminine qualities. This artistic endeavor aims to open dialogues about identity and belonging within indigenous cultures. Looking ahead, Stevei expresses a desire to contribute to community work, especially in Porirua, where they grew up. One goal is to share knowledge about seed banking within local schools and to participate in exhibitions showcasing Māori artists who openly identify as Takatāpui, which has not been done before.

The conversation also highlights the influential figures in Stevei's life, including Wi Taepa, Paerau Corneal, Suzanne Tamaki, and Margaret Tolland, who have shaped Stevei's perspectives on creativity, identity, and community engagement. Each has contributed uniquely to Stevei's journey of self-awareness and expression through art.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

unidentified voice(s)

2010s, a thousand voices (2014), amazons softball club (wellington), aotearoa new zealand, arts, balance, bathrooms, butch, butch on butch (exhibition/series), clay, clothing, colonisation, coming out, community, elizabeth kerekere, fa'afafine, femininity, gay, growing up, healing, identity, indigenous peoples, jac lynch, language, lesbian, margaret tolland, masculinity, māori, nga kaihanga uku, ngāti porou, nick leggett, paerau corneal, parents, perception, photography, porirua, pueblos, pātaka art and museum, rose bean simpson, roxanne swentzell, school, sculpture, seed bank, softball, sport, support, suzanne tamaki, ta moko, takatāpui, tattoo, the drag kings (wellington), transcript online, two-spirit, united states of america, wahine toa, wellington, whānau, wi taepa, women

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