Tiaho Mai

A new collaboration between Creative Kāpiti, Māoriland and Kiwibank is bringing a stunning art exhibition to Paraparaumu as part of the Matariki, Lighting the Beacons Festival.

Tiaho Mai showcases authentic traditional and contemporary Māori artworks featuring renowned Toi Iho™ artists, Ngā Aho Whenua Residency Weavers - Pip Devonshire and Sonia Snowden, artists of the ART Confederation of Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Toa Rangatira as well as invited leading and emerging artists.

Tiaho Mai is the sixth exhibition inside Kiwibank Paraparaumu as part of Creative Kāpiti Art for Everyone programme, partly funded by Kāpiti Creative Communities Scheme.

‘The Creative Kāpiti philosophy is mā te mahi tahi, ka ora ai te iwi - by working together we move forward,’ says Jenna-Lea Philpott, founder of Creative Kāpiti.

‘Both Māoriland and Creative Kāpiti are dedicated to raising the visibility and appreciation of creative skills, including Ngā Toi Māori, and the important role they play in our everyday lives, our wellbeing and economic development.’

Kaitiaki Toi of Māoriland and Project Curator Maakarita Paku agrees, ‘Exhibiting artists have acquired their mātauranga Māori knowledge and skills over many years. For many this will be a first, exhibiting in Paraparaumu. We are committed to increasing awareness and the importance of the Wharepora (domain of fine arts and textiles) across communities of Kāpiti, the greater Wellington region, Horowhenua and Manawatū. This includes the annual Te Roopū Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa Conference in Ōtaki over Labour Weekend.’

The Tiaho Mai exhibition will be of interest to serious collectors of Māori art and as part of Creative Kāpiti Art for Everyone programme, providing increased access to art in the community. As the title Tiaho Mai suggests, we know that for many in our community, this will be an enlightening experience.