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Manaaki Hemopo-Pakaru
 
Photo by Art

Featured Artist

Art —

Manaaki Hemopo-Pakaru, Year 10 Ngā Toi

Tēnā koutou e te whanau

This is my whakaahua kiriaro (self portrait), which I created in Ngā Toi class.

Our mahi toi is inspired by Māori artist, Robyn Kahukiwa, and how she uses a lot of symbolism in her art.

I chose to have half the portrait of me and the other half of my Dad. The reason I picked my Dad is because he's had a big impact on my life. He taught me how to surf and survive in the water. That is why the rope curls into a koru at the end, to symbolize the water. The rope twists around and plaits together to show we are connected in all ways. On my korowai I have painted grey feathers to represent the seagulls we see at the beach. The faded blue on my Dad’s korowai represents how he has grown up around the water. The green around the rope reminds me of a taonga, and lastly the Māori design I drew on the sides symbolises my culture and whānau.

Image by: Art