Tangata Whenua

Ko te mihi nui kia Ranginui rāua ko Papatuānuku. Tū mai rā, tū mai ra, tū mai rā.

This is a show about connection across whenua, and is a response to the previous exhibition by Hoea! Gallery, Whakahoki/a which brought together works by Ngāti Kahungunu artists living away from home. 

As regular visitors to the Museum we visited Whakahoki/a before Cyclone Gabrielle. Through social media we connected up with Mel who invited us to create a show, helping us to turn our ideas into our first collective exhibition - Tangata Whenua. 

We started this kaupapa at Pūtahi Marae with our whānau creating whenua pigments and painting portraits of loved ones. He mihi mutunga kore ki te whānau aroha o Pūtahi Marae me te kuia Hinepehinga. 

As Te Wairoa rangatahi, we wanted to use natural resources from around here; threading together taonga feathers, while making use of invasive plants like pampas. We're really keen to share the skills and stories we've learnt through wānanga and workshops so please get in touch with us at kaikokiri@projectrangatahi.co.nz 

Tangata Whenua is a show of the pūkenga, taonga, and aroha of whānau, hapū, and hapori - community. We share these mahi toi with hopes that you'll do the same. 

We've been blessed by the tautoko shown by Hoea! Whare Whakaatu Toi, the Wairoa Museum, Melanie Tangaere-Baldwin, Ayesha Green, Michelle Kerr, me Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Kahungunu o Te Wairoa. 

Kaitoi - Artists: Rāhiri Mākuini Edwards-Hammond, HineAio Apatari, Narrell Botica, Amber Hammond, Te Moananui a Kiwa Ryan, Atareta Black, Aniwaniwa Raukura Black, TeRauhina Lewis,  Leo, Amythest, Johnson, Mokoera, Rongo Ross,  Ayesha Green, Melanie Tangaere-Baldwin, Miriama Hammond