Toi Mauri is a restorative Maori Visual Art experience: For us, about us, as us.
Designed to support He Whare Tapa Wha – our spiritual, mental, emotional and physical well-being, through the practice of Toi Mauri.
Toi Mauri began in 2018, initiated by parents with artistic Rangatahi looking for creative support and artistic mentoring.
I responded to this call and began providing afterschool sessions in the Kaeo playground where the Toi Mauri kaupapa took root.
Then one summer day, a generous local saw us in the park and offered us a space at her Eco centre, where we based ourselves for a year. This was a welcoming space with the colder months approaching. However, when the covid restrictions came, this space became unavailable, closing its doors permanently to the public.
On returning to the Toi Mauri kaupapa after covid, with donations from parents we could afford to rent the Church Hall in Kaeo, unfortunately this became too costly and unsustainable.
Thankfully, we were offered another space, provided to us with support from Te Runanga o Whaingaroa, where we are currently based. This has been a blessing and has enabled the Toi Mauri kauapapa to continue to inspire another roopu of Whangaroa artists.
Toi Mauri 2020 – 2024
Toi Mauri reflects on our Whangaroatanga for creative context, visual content and spiritual connection.
Toi Mauri also aims to equip and encourage our Ranagatahi to participate in community projects, events, exhibitions and festivals by exposing them to a range of visual art disciplines.
Parents supportng their ranagatahi through the Toi Mauri kaupapa have been a major driving force in keeping this kaupapa alive.
However, the current social economic climate has impacted on parental support and developing funding networks to support the Toi Mauri kaupapa is a necessity to enable talented Rangatahi from all walks of life experience to participate. Also opportunities to develop my visual art practice professionally in a rural community where fishing, forestry and farming are the main forms of economic support.
The long term goal for Toi Mauri is to build an artist Studio/workshop on whanau whenua at Pupuke for the purpose of workshops, exhibitions, holiday programmes and wananga.
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