Our Story - Toi Māori Aotearoa - Māori Arts New Zealand

Whakairo Kōrero – Our Story

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.

Toi Māori Aotearoa was publicily launched at the opening of Patua: Māori Arts in Action, curated by Sandy Adsett at City Gallery Wellington as part of Te Toka-a-Toi, the 1996 international Festival of the Arts.

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

Te Ōati – Our Commitment

The settlors of the Toi Māori Aotearoa Charitable Trust made the following pledges:

Promote, develop, and preserve Māori art in accordance with tikanga Māori.
Promote, develop, and implement Māori art projects.
Promote and develop cultural exchange opportunities between Māori and other indigenous cultures.
Promote and develop the practice and appreciation of all Māori art forms.
Promote and develop the wider support and recognition of all Māori art forms.
Promote and assist in the development of policy advice on all Māori art forms.
Promote and develop the wairua or spiritual health and cultural welfare of Māori.

NGĀ POU Ō MUA – FOUNDING TRUSTEES OF TOI MĀORI AOTEAROA

AHORANGI, TĀ HIRINI MOKO MEAD

Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Tūhourangi

(1927-2026)

WAANA MORRELL DAVIS QSM

Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa

(1938-2019)

TĀ TĪMOTI SAMUEL KĀRETU
KNZM, QSO, CRSNZ

Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe

DAME GEORGINA KIRBY DBE, QSO, JP

Ngāti Kahungunu

(1936-2021)

EMILY RANGITIARIA SCHUSTER
QSM, OBE

Tūhourangi, Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Hinekura, Ngāti Tūwharetoa

(1927-1997)

TREVOR HOROWAEWAE MAXWELL CNZM

Ngāti Rangiwewehi

DEREK FOX

Ngāti Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Porou

Tātai taura – Our Role

The founding trustees of Toi Māori Aotearoa developed a strategic plan for the organisation that we continue to follow:

To ensure that Māori art in all its forms continues to flourish as one of the great art traditions of the world.
To maintain, develop and promote Māori art as an essential element of Māori culture and the culture of Aotearoa.
Assist in maintaining the integrity of Māori art and culture so that its distinctive features and wairua are not sacrificed.

Ngā Pou ō Toi Māori – Current Trustees

Tracey Morgan

Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga

Chair

Robert Gabel

Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa, Te Paatu

Deputy Chair

RANUI NGARIMU ONZM

Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga

Supreme Kuini

Professor Sir Derek Lardelli

Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata,
Ngāti Konohi, Ngāi Te Aweawe

Te PŪkonohi

Lady Rose Gould-Lardelli

Rongomaiaia Te Whaiti

Ngāti Kahungunu Ki Wairarapa, Ngāi Tahu

Reweti Arapere

Ngāti Pikiahu-Waewae, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Porourangi, Tūwharetoa

Te Anamata – Our Vision

“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.

We strive to witness: