Launch of Toi Ngāpuhi at Kohewhata Marae

26 November 2019

Press Release

Inspiring excellence in Ngāpuhi cultural and creative expression across Te Taitokerau
Te whakaoho i te ihiihi, mō te kounga o ngā tikanga, me ngā auahatanga ō Ngāpuhi , puta noa i Te Taitokerau.

Toi Ngāpuhi is excited to launch the organisation at Kohewhata Marae, on Saturday, December 14 at 11am.

Toi Ngāpuhi is an artist driven charitable organisation that has grown out of the development of Piki Tū Rangitia the Ngāpuhi 25 year arts and cultural strategy.

Through the development of Piki Tū Rangitia the establishment of the organisation has been supported by artists and stakeholders as a way to drive the growth of excellence in Ngāpuhi creative and cultural expression across the areas of cultural excellence, environmental excellence, learning excellence, creative excellence and mana whakahaere (business and enterprise, activation of creative and cultural expression).

Toi Ngāpuhi is an advocacy and support agency working across Te Taitokerau with cultural and creative networks for the purposes of:

revitalising distinctive and unique cultural identity
protecting Ngāpuhi-nui-tonu culture, cultural heritage and cultural expressions
improving hapū wellbeing and cultural esteem through cultural expression
establishing benchmarks of cultural integrity and authenticity, and,
fostering talent and opportunity.

The board of the newly comprised organisation is Bernard Makoare, Moe Milne,Rau Hoskins, Kura Te Waru-Rewiri and Dorothy Waetford.

Whatu ngarongaro te tāngata; toi te kupu, toi te mana, toitū ko te whenua. I am traditionally taught as a wood carver and practising artist/designer. My work is a reflection of my heritage, my environments and the importance I give to whanaungatanga and relationships between people, places and significant objects.

I believe that Toi Ngāpuhi will provide an extension of this for other creatives and communities. We will direct our efforts to assertively increase agency and advocacy for creative cultural expression, mana motuhake and tino rangatira across Te Taitokerau. Bernard Makoare, Chair, Toi Ngāpuhi
I believe "art" bears witness and record of the social environment of the tine. Toi Ngāpuhi provides for Ngāpuhi creatives to do so in a way that reflects our cultural view and expression of excellence. I am interested in reclaiming rangatiratanga of Maori form.
Moe Milne, Deputy Chair, Toi Ngāpuhi

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