The Whitebaiters Never Lie Exhibition is a photographic exhibition being hosted Shantytown near Greymouth and in the CBD of Westport during September and August 2011.
Some say that great skill and knowledge is required for whitebaiting, while others beive in the mere fact of just ‘being there’ and ‘being lucky’ are the key. People as young as three and as experienced as 93 can be bitten by the bug! As an activity stretching back even beyond our colonial past, whitebaiting truly transcends age, race and gender and stands alone as one of the last pioneering activities still practiced today.
Photographers Anita Peters and Murray Hedwig began in 2006 to explore some of New Zealand’s major river ways in search of whitebait and their hunters. Hindered at times by poor weather and sometimes just no whitebait, the challenges were many. The resulting collection of digital images show reverence not only for the pristine river environments but also introduce us to an iconic culture that highlights the passion of the real ‘kiwi’ character, one that shows great patience and takes pure pleasure from the ethic of hard work.
Where:
Shantytown, 310 Rutherglen Road Greymouth &
Westport CBD, Palmerston St Westport
When:
Sept and October 2011
