Rongomaiaia Te Whaiti

Aronga Toi:  Kaituhi 

Iwi: Ngāi Tahu (Ngāti Kurī, Ngāi Tūahuriri, Ngāti Waewae), Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa (Ngāti Hinewaka)

Akonga:

Rongomaiaia is a visual artist currently based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, yet hails from Wairarapa, as a descendant of Ngāti Kurī, Ngāi Tūahuriri, Ngāti Waewae, Ngāti Hinewaka. Rongomaiaia completed a Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts  (First Class Honours in Painting) and a Master’s in Māori Visual Arts through Massey University. 

Alongside conducting research and lectures, Rongomaiaia has gone on to pursue leadership roles advocating for ngā Toi Māori in various spaces, namely as a Deputy Kaihautu Toi Māori, Te Ātinga committee member, and a past trustee of Paemanu: Ngāi Tahu Contemporary Visual Arts Collective. Rongomaiaia exhibits nationally, her work has been acquired for private and public collections.

Kaupapa:

Rongomaiaia is grounded in her sense of belonging to the whenua, her practice reflects indigenous oral narratives and histories throughout paintings, installations, and sculptural pieces. ‘Ko Aotearoa Tēnei’ is a response to the Wai 262 claim, delving into the tension around intellectual property rights concerning Taonga Māori. Rongomaiaia illustrates a tree of mātauranga, composed of different rongoā plants significant to Te Ao Māori that have since become vulnerable without the protection of Wai 262.

Rongomaiaia was determined to experiment with colours outside her standard palette, drawing inspiration from John Bevan Ford. Her vibrant use of eclectic pigments flourishes through the branches, leaves, and korowai. A strong sense of symbolism is felt, dense with layered meaning, heavily influenced by contemporary Māori artists- Shane Cotton and Saffronn Te Ratana. Rongomaia’s attention to detail extends further into the composition of this piece, based on the door panels of Taharora Marae. An entire discussion takes place on canvas, reading between the lines of the details. Rongomaiaia uses strong symbolism and colour to acknowledge the wider conversation at hand.