Kewa Waimalie Te Rā Rūpene

Photographer: Symphony Morunga

Photographer: Te Rawhitroa Photography

KAINGIA TŌ PARA (Part 2) View work here

Photographer: Te Rawhitroa Photography

KAINGIA TŌ PARA (Part 1) View work here

TAIOHI 2023

Ara ōku waka ko Te Makawhiu me Ngā-toki-mata-whaorua.
Mārakerake ana tō kite ko ōku awa a Rakahuri me Waima.
Ki tua rā ko ōku maunga a Maukatere me Whakatere.
Tāpapa ana taku haere ki ōku marae a Tuahiwi, Mate-te-rā me Tuhirangi. Maranga ake ai au ki te karanga a ōku iwi a Ngāi Tahu, Ngāpuhi me Ngāti Kahu.

I whānau mai ahau i te kōpū o tētahi ringatoi. I have been following creative practices since I was a pēpi and that is all thanks to my Māmā. There are also a few of my Aunties and Uncles who are creatives and have helped show me the different creative pathways available to me. I ēnei rā kei te whai ahau i te ara toi hāngarau. I am studying a bachelor of design majoring in animation, visual effects and game design at AUT. What I am learning is helping me better express my creativity in my chosen form, aka digitally. I also partake in other creative practices such as painting (watercolour) and crafts (crochet and embroidery). At the moment I am in the exploration phase of finding my style, it is changing all the time. Ko taku whāinga matua kia kite, ā, kia rongo te reo me ngā whakaaro o mātau a Ngāi Māori. I believe that as an indigenous nation we have a beautiful outlook on life and this world. From te taiao to what our pūrakau teach us, I want to share that with the world through my art.