Kaya Grace

Kaya Grace is a Tukutuku weaver. She was taught by her aunt, Kohai Grace, and is the mother of Te Aomania and Maia Grace-Paul. Her creativity has been nurtured and supported by a large whānau of intergenerational multi-disciplinary artists, world-renowned for their excellence and commitment to art. She is a Rongoā Māori practitioner currently tutoring Rongoā Māori at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. She balances in Rongoā and Raranga, upholding tikanga, kaupapa, and mātauranga Māori. A living example of whānau, hapū, iwi arts strategy maintaining Mana Māori Motuhake and Rangatiratanga.

Nearly two metres in length and over a metre in height, this Tukutuku has been made possible through whānau collaboration between Kohai Grace, Kaya Grace, Maia Grace-Paul, Te Aomania Grace-Paul, Maryjane Winiata, and Elena Rei. All of these wāhine have also been students of Kohai and her Raranga Program at Whitireia Polytechnic in Porirua.

This Tukutuku was created for an exhibition called Te Ohonga (The Awakening) held at Te Waka Huia o Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho, Wellington Museum in 2023.

Te Kara (The Colour), the first national flag of Aotearoa, which we now identify as He Whakaputanga – a symbol of the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand. Historically, this flag is a symbol of Rangatiratanga. Intentionally created to instigate discussion about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a better understanding of its purpose.