Te Tipu Whenua o Pā Harakeke
Region: Hawke's Bay/Tairāwhiti
Art form: Multi-Disciplinary
Project name: Mā Toi
Creative name: Eruera White-Bason and Tori-Analee Houkamau
Project information: Te Tipu Whenua o Pā Harakeke is a Teen Parent Unit (TPU) in Flaxmere. Our student population is on average 90% Māori and 10% Samoan and range in age from 14–20+ years old. Most students were disengaged from mainstream school prior to getting pregnant. Our two talented local creatives engaged with our students this year, talking to them about their work at an exhibition we visited. They both have impressive artist profiles already, the necessary creative skills to deliver the programme, and links to our community.
Positive well-being outcomes for young parents and their tamariki are determined by interconnected factors of well-being. In Te Ao Māori, this link can be seen in the practice of Toi Māori. The objective of the project and kaupapa is to teach the basics of Māori art and interactive activities of arts and crafts for the TPU to explore Māori mahi toi and possible career opportunities. Skills learnt will be able to be passed down to their tamariki and extended to their wider whānau. Activities that are proposed, but that will be selected in collaboration with the ākonga: making poi, weaving tīpare, tie dyeing, building a mask using cardboard and paper, rubbings using crayons, printmaking using lino, textile ink and paint pens, and pencil drawing teaching Māori patterns and designs on paper. There will be the opportunity to display work at our twice-yearly whānau evenings, and other community exhibition opportunities will be explored.
Project starting: February 2022
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