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Whakatau te ihi
te wehi, kia tipu te
mahi toi tangata

‘Te ohonga ake o tooku moemoeaa, te puaawaitanga o te whakaaro’

‘The awakening of my dreams, is the blossoming of my thoughts’
– Naa Te Puea Herangi

Ngā toi Māori

We know a thriving and prosperous toi Māori sector has exponential benefits for the region.

Te ao Māori (the Māori world-view) has nga toi Māori woven throughout everyday life. This holistic connection has a powerful connection to our understanding of hauora/wellbeing. 

Ngā toi Māori

We must acknowledge the wellbeing of tangata whenua and understand things from a te ao Māori perspective as being central to our understanding of wellbeing in Aotearoa.

This perspective provides a unique opportunity for us to think and act in a distinctive way. A way that sees the interwoven experience of things. A way that sees creativity as a core part of life and existence.

There are patterns, stories and connections between all living things, and these elements serve to provide clarity and understanding. There is a plurality of existence where things are connected. The concepts are inclusive and holistic. They let us share and value our human experience and engage with one another in an empowering way. To give mana to each other and to acknowledge our individual and collective mauri.

In acknowledgement of this, we celebrate Ngā toi Māori as being powerfully interwoven with culture and identity. This is a vital part of a thriving Waikato region. Our Toi Māori team are here to work with our toi practitioners to achieve their visions for the sector and community.

About the Toi Māori team

Kelly Joseph

Kaiwhakahaere i nga Mahi Toi

Kelly is humbled to be able to awhi Toi Māori artists while working alongside a passionate team of creative vanguards who champion the Waikato art scene. Kelly has been an artist and writer for as long as she can remember. Her stories have been published in anthologies and journals in Aotearoa and abroad. She also writes poetry for children in the School Journal. She has had stints as a nature guide, photography tutor, AV technician, creative writing teacher and has even dipped her toes in comms. 

Kereama Clarke

Kaiwhakahaere i nga Mahi Toi

He uri tēnei ō Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Ngāti Maahanga, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Naho Ngāti Hāina hoki. 
Nōreira, mauriora ki ā tātou katoa.
Part of the music and entertainment industry for the past 3 decades, Kereama’s scope and appreciation for different art forms is wide. Playing festivals and kaupapa orientated events, and making television appearances, has provided him with a vehicle to promote Te Reo Māori in a mainstream setting.

Focus for the team:

Develop relationships and connections that enable opportunities for Nga Toi Māori

Support initiatives that provide opportunities for Māori creatives and their communities

Advocate for Nga Toi Māori in traditionally non-Māori settings

Encourage funding opportunities for Māori, particularly for emerging artists

Build capability through resources, support and pathways

Share stories, build profiles and celebrate Nga Toi Māori in the region

Here’s some work Creative Waikato has done in the past

Toi Māori
Research

In 2017, Creative Waikato embarked on a journey to gain a deeper understanding of Toi Māori in the Waikato.

Toi Waikato—Kia Hua, Kia Puāwai provides an insight into opportunities for Māori artists within Waikato.

Thanks to Creative New Zealand for providing funding for the research.

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Pakihi Toi

This free series of mini tutorials aim to help Māori artists strengthen knowledge, identity and art-practice.

Pakihi Toi covers all the aspects of setting up a business for profit, and is particularly focused on Māori artists.

Eleven sections give you a video introduction and a workbook which form a critical part of your business plan. We recommend that you cover each topic in the order we have provided them. As you complete each section you add your work to your Mahere Rautaki — Business Plan Booklet.

Once you have worked through all 11 sections you will have your own personalised Mahere Rautaki — Business Plan!

Find out more

If you are wanting one-on-one support, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.

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