Toi Māori Aotearoa

Toi Māori Aotearoa Established in 1996 as a Charitable Trust, we care for the interests of Māori art and artists. Toi Māori Aotearoa was established in 1996 as a Charitable Trust.

The trust emerged from the need for a collective Māori artists’ forum to foster the development of Māori art and support the national Māori art form committees. Since its inception, Toi Māori Aotearoa has focused on the development of Māori artists, Māori artist collectives and art forms, and initiates significant events to promote Māori art in New Zealand and internationally. Toi Māori Aotearoa c

ontinues to partner with organisations around Aotearoa and the world to benefit Māori artists and achieve the aspirations of iwi Māori.

“Toi Māori ki te kāinga, Toi Māori ki te ao”

Toi Māori Aotearoa supports the development of Māori artists at home and works with others to make potent and vital expressions of Māori art and culture on national and international stages. Learn more about our mahi on our website!

To end  , we want to uplift a key figure that has massively contributed to Toi Māori Aotearoa: Tama Waipara.Although ret...
29/05/2026

To end , we want to uplift a key figure that has massively contributed to Toi Māori Aotearoa: Tama Waipara.

Although retiring from the Pūatatangi committee in 2017, Tama still supports and contributes to the rangatahi development initiatives carried out by Pūatatangi, under the umbrella of Toi Māori Aotearoa. His influence and contributions to the development of Māori music and rangatahi musicians are still acknowledged today, as well as his influence on the committee and in the Māori music industry.

TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA🔈🎵

Image 1 credit: Te Tairawhiti Arts Festival website
Image 2 credit: Waiata Māori Awards website
Bio credit: Toi Māori Aotearoa website

Widely regarded as a national treasure, Maisey Rika is another musician we want to spotlight for  🔈Maisey Rika has been ...
28/05/2026

Widely regarded as a national treasure, Maisey Rika is another musician we want to spotlight for 🔈

Maisey Rika has been actively involved in the activities of Toi Māori Aotearoa and Pūatatangi. Some key examples include travelling to Leiden, the Netherlands in 2010 alongside musicians JJ Rika and Tama Waipara. The purpose of the visit was to celebrate and strengthen the connection between Aotearoa and the Netherlands in regards to Kaupapa Waka. In 2011, she performed at the Toi Māori Market and she has also performed many times at Pao Pao Pao which was a kaupapa focused on showcasing the skills and talents of Māori singers. Additionally, Maisey travelled to Guam in 2016 alongside the TMA whānau to be representatives of Aotearoa for the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FESTPAC).

What’s your favourite Maisey Rika waiata?🤔

TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA🔈🎵

Image credit: The Arts Foundation
Bio credit: The Arts Foundation Website

Today we want to celebrate masterful composer and musician Horomona Horo for  🔈Horomono has been a committee member of P...
27/05/2026

Today we want to celebrate masterful composer and musician Horomona Horo for 🔈

Horomono has been a committee member of Pūatatangi since 2018 and has played a significant role in the activities of this committee for over two decades. In 2001, he participated in Pao Pao Pao which was a project organized by Hirini Melbourne as a gathering for Māori artists and performers to showcase their talent. Horomona also performed his taonga pūoro at the Māori Art Market in 2011.

Following the passing of Mere Tuiloma-Taylor in 2023, he has been serving as Interim Chair alongside Toni Huata and continued in that role after Toni’s passing in 2025.

TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA🔈🎵

Image credit: SOUNZ website
Bio credit: Haumanu Collective website

For this  , we want to highlight the musical artists and composers that have made a valuable contribution to Pūatatangi-...
26/05/2026

For this , we want to highlight the musical artists and composers that have made a valuable contribution to Pūatatangi- Toi Māori Aotearoa Committee for Māori Music🎶

We also want to celebrate the massive impact they have had on Māori music both nationally and internationally. Māori ki te ao!🌏

First up we have the prolific Māori composer Hirini Melbourne (1949-2003) and one of Aotearoa NZ’s most glamorous performers of the stage Toni Huata (1969-2025)🕊️

Stay tuned for this week as we spotlight more influential Māori musicians that are past and current members of Pūatatangi.

Image 1 credit: Toi Māori Archives
Image 2 credit: RNZ
Image 3 credit: Toi Māori Archives

•Hirini Melbourne bio credit: Toi Māori Aotearoa website
•Toni Huata bio credit: SOUNZ website

Toi Māori Aotearoa | Māori Arts New Zealand NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING9:30am, Saturday 20 June 2026📍Brentwood Hote...
21/05/2026

Toi Māori Aotearoa | Māori Arts New Zealand NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

9:30am, Saturday 20 June 2026
📍Brentwood Hotel, 16 Kemp Street, Kilbirnie, Wellington

⭐AGENDA
-Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2025
-Election of Trustees

If you wish to attend, please RSVP to [email protected] by 5pm, Friday 12 June 2026❗

13/05/2026

🎥 HIGHLIGHTS | WHITI Te Ātinga Indigenous Artists Gathering

Hosted by Te Ātinga at Toihoukura
11 - 21 January 2026
📍 Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa | Gisborne

“I’m inspired by all the great artists that I’m meeting and sometimes you don’t get an opportunity to work with this many great artists…”

Richard Rowland (Hawaii)- ceramic artist based in Astoria, Oregon- shows us what he is making for the students of Toihoukura❤️

12/05/2026

🎥 HIGHLIGHTS | WHITI Te Ātinga Indigenous Artists Gathering

Hosted by Te Ātinga at Toihoukura
11 - 21 January 2026
📍 Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa | Gisborne

“I’ve been connected with this network since 1998 when Tina Wirihana first came to the longhouse where I was working.”

Tina Kuckkahn (Lac du Flambea Ojibwe)-president and CEO of the First Peoples Fund- reminisces on getting permission to host the first U.S.-based indigenous gathering in 1999😮

06/05/2026

🎥 HIGHLIGHTS | WHITI Te Ātinga Indigenous Artists Gathering

Hosted by Te Ātinga at Toihoukura
11 - 21 January 2026
📍 Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa | Gisborne

“.. the love of where we’re moving as people is strengthened by us gathering together.”

John Hitchcock (Kiowa, Comanche, Northern European)- contemporary artist and educator- talking about the importance of gathering together and how it can create a sense of union and understanding🤝

05/05/2026

🎥 HIGHLIGHTS | WHITI Te Ātinga Indigenous Artists Gathering

Hosted by Te Ātinga at Toihoukura
11 - 21 January 2026
📍 Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa | Gisborne

“My time here is always incredible and wonderful and is an incredible growing experience.”

Linley B.Logan (Onondowga)-multidisciplinary contemporary visual artist- earlier this year at WHITI sharing his experience attending an international visual arts gathering hui in Aotearoa for the fourth time!☀️❤️

E koko ia, e ara e!! ‘IHUMANEA’ the exhibition has been further extended to Friday 29th May 2026🎉We’re stoked to announc...
28/04/2026

E koko ia, e ara e!!

‘IHUMANEA’ the exhibition has been further extended to Friday 29th May 2026🎉

We’re stoked to announce that ‘IHUMANEA’ will be exhibiting for another month! If you haven’t had the chance to pop in yet - now’s the perfect time, exclusively in the Toi Māori Gallery 📍 Nau mai, haere mai!

Huge mihi to everyone who has visited so far and shown aroha for the exhibition.

follow to see all exhibiting artists & works, visit our website for more info ✨

📅 Fri 27 Feb- Fri 29 May 2026
📍 Toi Māori Gallery
Level 4 Change House
150 Featherston Street
Wellington CBD
⏰ Gallery Open Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm

Address

Level 4, Change House Building, 150 Featherston Street, Wellington Central
Wellington
6011

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