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Lecture Series: Māori Art Through the Lens of Te Ao Māori
Wed
5 Aug
-
Wed
26 Aug
2026
We are excited to announce Julie Paama-Pengell's four-part lecture series, Māori Art Through the Lens of Te Ao Māori, on Wednesdays, 5–26 Aug 2026, 5.30–7pm, at Toi Tauranga Art Gallery.
This series explores the vitality of Ngā Toi Māori, using Julie Paama-Pengelly’s book Māori Art and Design (2010) as the foundation for examining the essential legacies of Māori creative practice. Māori art is framed as a dynamic, unbroken – though often shaken – lineage of values that persists through a changing, frequently challenging environment.
In these lectures, we will explore how the artist’s hand ensures that customary practices evolve to embrace new possibilities while remaining a living embodiment of cultural authority – an uncompromising assertion of a core identity that empowers Māori to represent themselves as they see themselves, as Māori.
What to expect:
- Mā te kete, ka puāwai te iwi - Through the weaving, the people flourish
- He moko tangata, he moko nō te whenua - The markings of the people are those of the land
- He toi whakairo, he mana tangata - Where there is artistic excellence, there is human dignity
- He kura kāinga e hokia - A treasured home to return to
Julie Paama-Pengelly – Biography
Julie Paama-Pengelly is a respected Māori artist, writer, educator, tā moko practitioner, and arts leader of Ngāi Te Rangi descent. Over four decades in the visual arts, she has helped shape how Māori art is understood, practised, and taught in Aotearoa.
Event Dates
August 5, 2026
at
5:30 pm
August 12, 2026
at
5:30 pm
August 19, 2026
at
5:30 pm
August 26, 2026
at
5:30 pm
Workshop
Join our hands-on Popping Boba workshop. You’ll learn the science behind these juicy flavour bursts and create your own colourful popping pearls from scratch. Experiment with flavours, get creative with colours, and discover how to turn simple ingredients into something seriously cool. Best of all, you’ll get to take your homemade boba home (if you don’t eat it first!). Registrations essential.
7 Jul
Workshop
Hawkins Community Open Day - Tauranga High and District Court Project Rā Tuwhera a Hapori - Te Koti Matua Me Te Koti A-Rohe O Tauranga The community is invited to a special open day at the Tauranga High and District Court construction site, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at one of the region’s major public projects.
14 Aug
Talk / lecture
Inachord Singers Tauranga are proud to invite you to a warm, community‑minded afternoon with Southland soprano treasure Deborah Wai Kapohe. Deborah will share stories from her extensive and varied professional career — a life lived across opera, contemporary Māori music, musical theatre, songwriting, guitar performance, arts leadership, and law. Bring a cushion (though seats provided!) and your favourite mug to maximise feeling at home, and settle into a relaxed, family‑friendly atmosphere as she opens the door to her creative world with humour, insight, and generosity. Following an intensive workshop the day prior, the afternoon will also feature a small selection of songs from both Deborah Wai Kapohe and Inachord Singers Tauranga, offering a gentle touch of live music to complement the storytelling. With afternoon tea available, free tickets for children under twelve and a portion of proceeds supporting local charities, this gathering promises inspiration, wonder, beauty, and through fellowship, genuine community spirit. Come for the stories, stay for the songs, leave with connection.
23 Aug
