Nuku: Maunga Kura Toi Graduating Exhibition

The exhibit, which features the completed works of the students finishing their third and final year of the Maunga Kura Toi, is held each year and gives graduates a chance to curate an exhibit, show off their hard work to friends and family, and potentially sell their pieces to interested parties.

This year’s exhibit, however, had an extra twist.

“The graduating class is all wāhine,” explains Marama Morehu-Batiyaka (Ngāphui, Ngāti Whātua) a graduate majoring in Raranga (weaving). “Not a single tāne was enrolled to complete the course this year. This provided us with the opportunity to do something that was based heavily on the female experience.”

“Nuku comes from Papatūānuku, earth mother,” says Kirimoana Powell (Ngāti Whātua. Ngāti Awa me te Whakatōhea) graduating Raranga ākonga. “It also means shapeshifter. It highlights a woman’s place in the world. The constant adaptor, the one who shapeshifts herself to suit the needs of those around her, mother, partner, caregiver, and defender. Nuku speaks to the unique experience of being a woman.”

The seven graduating wāhine produced various works in Raranga (weaving) and Rauangi (Visual Arts). Some completed solo toi (art) while others worked in partnership.

Graduates have their own goals and plans after graduation, and there is a wide range of options for them.

“The course gives you all the skills and information you need to start your own business,” Marama says. “Lots of graduates go on to open their own shops or galleries. I plan to take everything I’ve learnt back to my hapu and marae, to pass on the knowledge to others so that our collective knowledge will grow, and these cultural practices won’t be lost.”

Marama, also a teacher, also uses her new knowledge in the classroom. “My ākonga (students) benefit from the course. They get to learn weaving techniques during art and may find relaxation in it.”

“I originally started the course along with Marama to bring the knowledge back to our hapu and marae,” says Kirimoana. “But I’m also able to use it in my day-to-day mahi. I work in Hauora, mental health. I’m starting to focus on using Raranga as a healing technique and bringing it into the clinical space.

“Therapeutic interventions are out there but are still only developing in the Western medical space. However, it’s already something well-established in the Māori space. So, I want to bring it back and reconnect it to the current system. It can easily be used in the health setting to complement the Western health model.”

Maunga Kura Toi is run by NorthTec each year in collaboration with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and offers strands in Raranga (weaving), Rauangi (visual art), and Whakairo (carving). The qualification is open to everyone over the age of 16 who wishes to apply.

Many past graduates have gone on to open their own businesses, continued on to undertake a Master’s degree through Massey University, or pursued careers in restoration, research, teaching, and much more.

The Nuku exhibition held its opening event on Sunday 17th of November. The event was attended by whānau, friends, NorthTec staff and students, and wider community members who all turned out to celebrate and support the graduating artists as well as those in their first and second years of the Bachelor.

Tatai Henare lead the opening karakia, leading the procession through both the graduate exhibition and the exhibition put together by the lower year groups.

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