Storytelling Through Māori Toi
Tēnā tātou e te whare!
I’m back with another update for the Toi Kahira blog!
The past few weeks have been a whirlwind—lots of ups and downs—but each experience has been a stepping stone for my little business. I can’t wait to share what’s been happening!
Today’s post is a bit different. As I start working on a couple of new prints, I start to get into my usual process: who and what is inspiring me right now? Which atua Māori am I connecting with lately? Why is their story so important? And how can I share their beautiful narratives in a safe and respectful way? These thoughts fill my head as I begin sketching.
I won’t claim to know everything about the amazing atua Māori I choose to illustrate, but I can share my perspective and hopefully express the significance of their stories. Our connection to our atua is woven into everything we do; we experience life through these connections. Just last week, I felt like I was bouncing off the walls from all the energy Marama was radiating—her light was crazy vibrant and inspiring!
As Māori, we love to share our stories verbally. Generations of whakapapa, narratives, pūrākau, and more have been passed down through the words of our tīpuna. We also create beautiful mahi toi/art to help share these stories. Think of whakairo and tukutuku; every intricate pattern holds meaning to us as Māori and connects to deeper narratives.
I always emphasise the story behind my work. I never want to create just for the sake of it. We have such rich pūrākau and atua to look up to, like Papatuānuku, Hineahuone, Hineteiwaiwa, and Hineraukatauri—the list goes on!
What I really want to share are stories that are unique to us as Māori. These pūrākau are us, and we are them.
I hope my little blurb isn’t too confusing, haha! This is just a peek into the mind of this artist.
As always e te whānau, thanks for joining me on this journey!
Arohanui,
Kahira
