UPCOMING EXHIBITION

Māhina

Toihoukura returns! Welcoming them back for our fourth bi-annual exhibition collaboration.

Māhina honours the whakapapa connections between Te Tairāwhiti and Tainui ki Raukawa through the marriage of Māhina-a-Rangi and Turongo. It celebrates the hononga between our people. ‘Māhina’ the moon or the early morning light symbolises a new dawn, represents hope, renewal, and new pathways for our people as we honour our past and look towards the future.

Toihoukura is a recognised Contemporary Māori Art School based in Te Tairāwhiti, proud to present the works of both tauira and kaiako at Toi Matarau Gallery in Ōtaki from 5 November.

Grounded in toi and mātauranga Māori, Toihoukura is a place where creativity, cultural knowledge and contemporary artistic practice come together. This exhibition brings together the diverse voices, perspectives and creative practices of our staff and students, sharing the stories and ideas that shape their mahi.

We warmly invite the Ōtaki community to experience the richness of Toihoukura and connect with the artists and their work through toi. The range of toi includes 2D paint and mixed medium forms, whakairo and other contemporary works showcased for the first time.

5 November 2026 – 22 February 2027
Toi Matarau Gallery at the Māoriland Hub
68 Main Street
Ōtaki

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Māoriland Celebrates the Storytellers

Manu aute were flown as part of the Matariki festivities, and today that tradition is also being revitalised. It may have been a way for those here on Papatuānuku to reach up into the domain of Ranginui to send messages to those who had passed. “Kua whakarangatia koe – Return, take your place amongst the stars along with your ancestors that adorn the sky”

Our Manu Aute collection, designed for Matariki 2026, is a collaboration between carver Fayne Robinson, his son Tahu and our directors Libby Hakaraia and Madeleine Hakaraia de Young.

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