TĀ (SIR) DEREK LARDELLI
Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Konohi, Ngāi Te Aweawe
He tā ki te moko, he tā ki te whenua, he tā ki te toi o ngā rangi tūhāhā. E manawanui ana mātau o Toi Māori mō ou mahi toihuarewa kua tāhia e koe ki te ao tūroa, i te urunga o te rā, e haruru ana mai i te tai rāwhiti.
Widely acclaimed and awarded artist, scholar, orator and educationalist, Tā Derek Lardelli has been instrumental in the practice and resurgence of tā moko, established and chairs Te Uhi ā Mataora, the national tā moko committee of Toi Māori Aotearoa in 2000, and has been successively elected as a Trustee since 2003. Currently, Tā Derek holds the unique role of Te Pūkonohi on the Toi Māori Aotearoa Board, the delegated spokesperson on Māori arts matters and a valued advisor to multiple cultural and government agencies.
Derek works tirelessly to protect and promote this sacred art form—locally, nationally and internationally—extending to the repatriation and ongoing care of toi moko.
A great leader, Derek has tutored Whāngāra Mai Tawhiti kapa haka since 1995 winning the national title at Te Matatini 2017, and as Professor at Toihoukura, the tertiary Māori Visual Arts and Design programme at the Eastern Institute of Technology in Gisborne, has immersed several generations of Māori artists in a holistic philosophy of Māori art and cultural practice.
Derek has been at the forefront of major creative projects representing Māori on the international stage, most famously as the composer of the All Blacks haka, Kapa ō Pango, and headed numerous delegations and cultural exchanges around the world.
Derek’s contribution to Māori art and cultural development has been recognised with top honours, awarded an Arts Foundation Laureate (2004 ), Te Waka Tohu Ake Award (2014), Te Tohu Tiketike o Matariki and Waiata Māori ‘Keeper of the Traditions’ ‘Icon’ award (2018) and knighted for services to Māori art in 2021.
Derek is one of New Zealand’s finest tohunga renowned for his leadership and 40 years of dedicated mahi to the preservation and advancement of tāonga tuku iho.
A key figure in the resurgence of tā moko, Derek makes equally astounding contributions to whaikōrero, karakia, kapa haka, the visual arts and graphic design, the Māori art education sector and widely respected for his commitment and dedication to his iwi.
His expertise as tohunga has led to groundbreaking projects of international significance for the nation including corporate rebranding for Air New Zealand, the composition of Kapa o Pango, the haka of the All Blacks, and remains part of their training programme. For these services Derek was awarded an honorary doctorate from Waikato University in 2018 and bestowed with a knighthood as part of the Queen’s Birthday conferment in June 2020.
Derek has been involved with Toi Māori Aotearoa since the inception of the organisation in 1996 and the nature of his contribution to toi Māori exemplifies the work of a tohunga in contemporary Māori society.
In his role as Te Pūkonohi on the Board of Toi Māori Aotearoa, Derek operates as a strong advocate and dedicated champion of best practice in toi Māori.
Across our varied activities, Derek applies his sharp intellect and expertise in tikanga, karakia and whaikōrero to ensure that our work meets the standards of excellence expected by our ancestors and officiates at many of our gatherings. Most importantly, we respect Derek for accepting the immense responsibilities as a conveyer of tāonga tuku iho for the advancement of our people.
The future of toi Māori is represented by the many individuals he has influenced, encouraged and nurtured.
