Darcy Lange's 'Māori Land Project' (1977–80) Examined in Afterall Essay

An essay by Mercedes Vicente, published in Afterall Journal 49 on 8 April 2020, analyzes Darcy Lange's 'Māori Land Project' (1977–80). Lange, a videographer, sought to transcend art world boundaries, viewing video as a tool for social activism and political consciousness. The project documented Māori land rights struggles during the 1970s Māori renaissance, a movement against colonialism demanding land reforms. Lange recorded two cases: the occupation of Takaparawha (Bastion Point) in Auckland, where land confiscated in 1840 was occupied for 16 months, and the Ngātihine land block near Kawakawa, involving a legal dispute against a forestry corporation lease. Key figures interviewed include Joe Hawke, Colin Clark, John Miller, Taura Eruera, Duncan MacIntyre, Matiu Rata, Matiu Tarawa, Tim Horopapera, and Virginia Shaw. The essay contextualizes the project within New Zealand's New Left, anti-Vietnam War protests, and Māori activism, noting the establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal in 1975.