Toi Maori's National Festival of Maori Art comes to Hastings
The Toi Maori Festival is a rich and rewarding event that brings together culture, art and people.
Since 1999, the Toi Maori Festival has been held every two years in a different region of New Zealand. In January 2005, the Toi Maori Festival will be held for the first time in Heretaunga (Hastings), Hawke's Bay.
The Hawke's Bay Exhibition Centre will be a central venue for the Te Maia exhibition that will feature contemporary Maori art as well as the work of International Indigenous artists from the Northwest Coast USA, Hawaii, Canada, and the Pacific.
The surrounding grounds of the Civic Square will feature a week-long programme, beginning on Monday 10 January, of events and activities for the public to view the best of New Zealand's contemporary Maori artists at work. Watch as new works of painting, weaving, claywork, carving, and ta moko are created; meet the artists in person and hear them speak about themselves, their art and their culture in daily floor talks.
"This will be a great way for people to come to Hastings and see Maori artists at work in a range of artforms. It's important to realise that Maori culture is a significant part of their careers as artists, whether they work in sculpture, painting, weaving, music or dance. We have also invited highly respected indigenous artists from the USA and Canada to attend in an exchange of culture and art" says local artist and teacher Sandy Adsett.
Discussion forums will take place each morning on traditional and contemporary Māori art with leading experts from around the country. On Saturday 15 January Traditional Waka Drills will be performed in Civic Square, demonstrating the training ceremonies of the Annual Traditional Waka Pageant held in the Bay of Islands at Waitangi each year.
The public programme includes literary readings by well-known Maori writers and storytellers and writers workshops. Evening concerts of Maori music and performing arts on Friday and Saturday evenings will showcase local and national musicians and dancers.
"The Toi Maori Festival is a highlight of our activities for the year. This will be an excellent chance for people to learn about Maori art and see it being created before their very eyes, as well as to learn about some of the issues and dynamics facing us today" says Toi Maori Aotearoa General Manager Garry Nicholas.
Toi Maori Festival , Festival of Maori Art
Dates: Monday 10 , Saturday 15 January 2005
Venue: The Hawkes Bay Exhibition Centre & Civic Square, Hastings
Toi Maori Aotearoa , Maori Arts New Zealand is the national organisation for Maori art and receives major funding from Te Waka Toi the Maori arts board of Creative New Zealand.
Toi Maori Aotearoa also acknowledges the support of Hawkes Bay Cultural Trust , Ruawharo Ta-u-rangi. The Toi Maori Festival carries the kaupapa of Auahi Kore , Health Sponsorship Council.
ENDS