Jessica Thompson Carr
Māori Spy
I’m the greatest actress
I’m a Māori spy
Watching from the desk
The system churning blindly
Like a manic little taniwha cutting
Paper money pretty paper money
Plugging throats with dollars…
And I don’t earn much,
But I collect a wealth of information,
Education, tips and tricks on
How we can survive
In this prison built around us.
I’m an undercover agent for my
Whakapapa. Ticking boxes to
Prove my existence,
Little do they know…
I slip tikanga into their drinks
And the kaupapa into their food.
Little do they know I am a talented
Performer. Rising, rising, working
Tireless at their game,
So that I may change it.
Āke, ake, ake
This taniwha has no idea
What’s coming.
Jessica Thompson Carr is an artist born and bred in Ōtepoti, New Zealand. She achieved her degree in English and Art History in 2017, and finished her Masters Coursework in 2019 whilst working on her internship with Toi Māori in Ōtautahi at the Court Theatre. She is currently a full time artist. Jessica is Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Ruanui, and explores and represents her Māori heritage through poetry, fiction, drawing, photography, and painting.