TIAHO Mai is a curated show that tells the traditional narrative of the stars of Matariki.

TIAHO Mai is a curated show that tells the traditional narrative of the stars of Matariki representing te ao tawhito, te ao hou and te ao hurihuri – a traditional, current and futuristic manner. To do this, Batreece Morgan and Ahsin Ahsin have collaborated to curate wearable arts as costumes, then portraits of each model wearing these costumes have been digitally enhanced.

50 local children contributed to this exhibition working under the expertise of Monique Heward to create paintings using a traditional toi Maaori technique by using natural local pigments of our whenua as a taonga to paint and tell the narratives of Matariki through their eyes.

Our aim is to educate the public about Matariki, uphold the mana of Maaori cultural practices, and embrace modern digital tools to inspire future creativity.

We would also like to acknowledge our photographer Maine Tito, our cultural advisor Koro Witehira, our local schools and the amazing models that feature in this exhibition.