Appointments to Te Mâori Manaaki Taonga Trust

Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Judith Tizard today announced the appointment of a new chair and trustees to the Te Mâori Manaaki Taonga Trust Board.

The Trust, setup in 1991, provides Maori with the skills and training required to care for and display taonga Mâori. It also promotes the training of Mâori as curators, conservators and other roles which involve the care or display of taonga Mâori.

Judith Tizard welcomed the appointment of new Chair Piri Sciascia, Pro Vice-Chancellor Mâori at Victoria University of Wellington. He has worked for more than two decades in Mâori culture and development, conservation and the arts. He was closely involved with the Te Mâori Exhibition and the Mâori and South Pacific Arts Council of the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council in the 1980s. Mr Sciascia has served one term on the Trust Board.

New trustee Paul Tapsell is currently Director Mâori of the Auckland War Memorial Museum and a lecturer at Auckland University. He is a member of the Research Coordinating Committee of the Waitangi Tribunal, the Knowledge Wave Trust Advisory Board, and the NZ College of Management Board. Dr Tapsell also has governance experience in the museums sector.

Te Aue Davis has been reappointed to the Trust. Ms Davis has been a weaver for over 50 years and has exhibited widely overseas, including Australia, Rarotonga, USA, Canada, UK, Noumea and Germany. She has been a recipient of a Te Waka Toi award for her research work. Te Aue was an inaugural trustee on the Trust Board and is also a member of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, the Mâori Heritage Council and Nga Whenua Rahui Committee.

The second reappointed trustee, Ngahiraka Mason (Auckland) is Indigenous Curator, Mâori Art at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tâmaki and curates exhibitions from the Gallery's historic and contemporary collections. Ngahiraka consults for international, national and community organisations regarding contemporary Mâori art. Ngahiraka's work involves mentoring emerging Mâori curators, historians and artists.

All members are being appointed for terms of three years from 1 July 2006.

The Minister especially acknowledged the longstanding commitment of the outgoing Chair, Professor Hirini Mead, who was instrumental in the establishment of the Trust and has led it since 1991.

ENDS

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