Te Waka Toi Board Appointments announced
Wednesday 9 July 2008, 5:14PM
By New Zealand Government 2005-2008
473 views
The Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Hon Judith Tizard, today announced changes to the Board of Te Waka Toi, one of two arts boards operating under the Arts Council of Creative New Zealand.
The three new Board appointments are Kura Te Waru Rewiri of Whangarei, John Huria of Wellington and Te Khautu Maxwell of Waikato.
Kura Te Waru Rewiri (Te Rarawa) is a senior visual artist based in Northland with a long career as an artist and arts educator. She teaches at Northland Polytechnic and previously taught in the Mori Visual Arts department at Massey University, Ilam School of Fine Arts, and at Auckland University.
John Huria (Ngi Tahu) is a Wellington-based literature specialist. He is a director of Ahi Text Solutions, which provides editing and research services with a focus on Mori publishing. He contributed to the award-winning publication on the painter Shane Cotton and recently updated the definitive encyclopedia Mori Life and Custom.
Te Khautu Maxwell (Te WhakatMhea, Ngi Tai, Te Whnau-a-Apanui, Ngti Awa, Ngti Porou, Tkhoe, Ngti Maniapoto) is currently a Senior Lecturer in the School of Mori and Pacific Development at the University of Waikato. He is an expert in tikanga Mori and has a strong background in the performing arts, as a composer of haka and mMteatea. He is currently a rohe delegate for Te Matatini.
Marina Sciascia (Ngti Kahungunu) has been reappointed to the Board. She has wide governance and performing arts experience, and coordinated the Maori programme for the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts for several years. She recently co-authored Hakui: Mothers of Porangahau with Hilary Pederson.
All four members have been appointed for three-year terms from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2011.
“I am very pleased at the commitment of the appointees and reappointee to serve on the Board. The combination of their wide collective knowledge of Mori arts communities and the good balance of regional perspective and practitioners’ voices will provide a strong advocacy for Mori artists and arts organisations.” said Judith Tizard.
Judith Tizard also paid tribute to the contributions of retiring members Dr Patu Hohepa, Sandy Adsett and Suzanne Ellison who have all completed their second terms on Te Waka Toi. “Their commitment and contribution to the Board and to Mori arts is greatly appreciated,” she said.
Te Waka Toi is the Mori Arts Board of Creative New Zealand. It is responsible for encouraging, promoting and supporting Mori arts in Aotearoa through the allocation of funding to Mori artists, arts organisations, and arts projects.