Welcome to our Takatāpui arts collective
Te Atihau-nui-aa-Paparangi, Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Rangi.
Kauri is a multi-disciplinary artist, activist and dancer. They juggle many creative abilities and passions. Apart from the loving labour as Tumuaki of UĀM, recent art focus has been on painting, illustration and design. They also love exploring natural elements such as weaving and stone-carving precious taonga. Their studies include Applied Media Arts, Restorative Justice, Māori Kai Sovereignty (Permaculture) & Horticultural Science.
KAUri
They/Them
Ngāti Ruanui, Sāmoa, China, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, France
Naki is a political haututū, multidisciplinary maker and musician, and one of the Kaiwhakahaere (admin/organisers) for Utu-ā-Matimati. Currently playing bass in Mā & the Fly Hunnies, and pursuing a BA in Māori and Pacific studies at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. They are passionate about learning te reo Māori and exploring decolonial narratives to envision an Oceanic future.
NAKI
They/Them
Ngaati Maniapoto, Tainui, Ngaati Porou, Tuuwharetoa, Ngaati Tara Tokanui.
I roto i teeneki kaupapa, ko Maaneno te pou tikanga raaua ko te kaiwhakahaere ki te taha oo Kauri raaua ko Taranaki.
Ka arahi ia te reo maaori me oona tikanga.
Ko aana mahi ki waho o te roopu ko te ture me te kaikoorero o te mana motuhake o ngaa waewae raupaa (intersectionality rights speaker/activist)
MAANENO
They/Them
STOrY
She/Her
Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Kuia
Story is an award-winning māori illustrator. Her unique style and fun use of colour makes for magical story telling for both tamariki and grown ups to enjoy. You might know some titles such as “How My Koro Became a Star” or “Mokopuna Matatini”. She’s also been developing some works into beautiful animated series as a way to share Iwi and Hapu stories with future generations.
Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngā Rauru, Kai Tahu, Scotland
Piripi Mackie / Misty Frequency is a Takatāpui + neurodivergent + genderless multidisciplinary artist. The kaupapa they bring you is conceptual, Takatāpui futurism and avant-garde rooted in the aim to advocate, celebrate, demonstrate, captivate and stimulate.
Piripi
Ia/They/Them
Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngati Porou
Tina is a Maara Kai Fairy, working with local communities to teach and empower them to grow their own kai. She practices kai sovereignty and sustainability through indigenous methods guided by the maramataka.
Tina is also a painter and designer. She explores her connection to her tīpuna through painting portraits, with unique methods of layering bright colours and bold features.
TINA
She/They/Ia
Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Ruapani
Te Kīra Whakamoe is a multi-disciplinary artist who works almost exclusively with natural materials. Examples such as uku, earth pigments, leaf-print dying onto textiles, manu, feathers, bones, delicious oneone. They expresses their oneness with Papatūānuku through their toi that often translates stories of healing and reclamation. By involving whenua into her works it’s like Land-Back in tangible art form, you feel enveloped in the mauri of our Atua when you interact with Te Kīra’s toi.
Te kīra
She/They/Ia
SHOP
Coming soon…
UAM ZINES
ART PRINTS
UTU MERCH
Services
creative wananga
Our artists love to skill share with our community. We run all sorts of workshops varying from flax weaving,
to crochet, illustration, story telling, live painting, textile printing.
We also love sharing cultural and political whakaaro. With topics such as mental-health, community, queer culture, whakapapa, feminism (from an indigenous perspective), kai sovereignty and more.
ART MARKETS
We love showcasing artists’ work with market stalls. We’ve had the honour of being a part of the first Matariki arts market at Te Papa, the Vic Uni Rā Makete for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, and Kuuwao Space night market.
Let us know if you have a market we could sign up for and we’ll bring the goods.
STUDIO DESK SPACES
We offer desk spaces free of rent to takataapui artists long-term (No Current Vacancies).
Inquire if you need a short-term space to work on a project or a space to host hui or workshops.
We’d love to host more wānanga about toi māori like taonga puoro, rongoā, tāniko, raranga etc.
LAND BAck culture back
Utu-ā-Matimati translates as “to take back what belongs to you.” Meaning culture, whenua, identity, indigeneity, kai sovereignty and so on.
A decolonial creative art journey, a cultural reclamation.
We are a Takatāpui arts collective. We host workshops in our studio based in the heart of Pōneke city and publish art magazines with a focus on identity and decolonising through the practice of mahi toi (art).
Our community values visibility for Rangatahi Takatāpui (young, queer Māori) so they can have queer, indigenous adults and elders to look up to in a world where we juggle various marginalisations. Being visible and firm in who we are can send a light to those in our community who need a place of belonging.
Nō reira, nau mai haere mai.
Welcome to Utu x
Connect with Us
Embrace the opportunity to collaborate with our Takatāpui arts collective, nestled in the vibrant heart of Pōneke, Aotearoa. Share your details and anticipate our prompt response. We are eagerly awaiting to engage with you!
