“Nā to rourou, nā taku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi. With your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive.” The exhibition’s name is a joyful command: Nekenekehia (move!) and an exclamation: Tukua (send it out!).

The purpose of Nekenekehia Tukua is to ensure Toi Māori and Māori design becomes more present in our built and everyday environment. With this exhibition, Wharehoka Smith aims to free Toi Māori from an art gallery context and return it, as it once was, to being an integrated component of everyday life.

The artist’s work is informed by whakapapa and generations of Toi Māori practitioners who have come before. It invites visitors into a world where Tino rangatiratanga exists openly and confidently, equally supported by both pre- and post-European contact paradigms, technology and resources.

Alongside the exhibition, Puke Ariki is hosting three wānanga during October and November that will explore tangible opportunities to continue the mahi and kaupapa presented in Nekenekehia Tukua.

Education: The Role Toi Māori Could Play
Thursday 13th October 2022, 5–8pm
This wānanga will explore the role Toi Māori could have in education beyond the traditional ‘fine art’ space and across disciplines. The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery education team will present their work on an education model for the arts. Taranaki-based educators, administrators and others with an interest in art education are invited to join these discussions.

Art & Design: The Design Space for Toi Māori
Thursday 27th October 2022, 5–8pm
This wānanga will ask what it means to reclaim the design space for Toi Māori and re-establish Toi Māori in the built environment. With leaders from the art, design and architecture industries, the wānanga will explore copyright, IP, data sovereignty and access. What, how, and who engages across the design profession? When, where, and how does Toi Māori engage with industry? Taranaki-based artists, designers and architects are invited to join and consider these topics.

GLAM: Collaborative Engagement with Māori Artists
Thursday 10th November 2022, 5–8pm
This wānanga will focus on how the GLAM sector (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums) can engage collaboratively with Māori artists. The wānanga will explore the representation of Toi Māori and artists in these spaces, discussing Memorandums of Understanding, taonga, whakapapa and relationships using the intentions of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a guide. Those working in the GLAM sector are invited to join in the discussion.

The exhibition is open 2 July 2022 – 12 March 2023
Temporary Gallery, Puke Ariki Library & Museum
Admission is free
For more information, visit the Puke Ariki website