By Utu ā Matimati
Friday 19 September
5:30 - 7:30pm
Toi Pōneke Gallery, Free to attend.
Come along to the opening celebration of Te Whare Mahana - A Takatāpui Exhibition.
You are invited to our housewarming party, a celebration of queer indigenous love. It’s virgo season, spring is blooming, Mahuru Māori is here, all your queer Māori dreams are possible! There will be a wide range of toi from 15+ Takatāpui artists, curated by Utu ā Matimati Takatāpui Art Collective.
Queer indigenous joy and community is such an important act of resistance and we’d love for you to join us in the resistance. Our gift to you, with performances by musician NahBo and Drag artist Misty Frequency. Rongoā, yummy kai, and treats available. Nau mai, haere mai. All welcome.
Taranaki Ah Young-Grace (aka Naki, fka NahBo/DJ Deeznaks)(they/them) [Ngāti Ruanui, Sāmoa, China, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, France]
Naki is a political haututū, multidisciplinary maker and musician, and aspiring academic. They serve as both a kaiwhakahaere (organiser/admin) and kaitiaki moni (treasurer) for Utu-ā-Matimati.
Previously, they made lo-fi , anti-capitalist, pro-indigenous hip hop under the moniker NahBo, and played bass for Mā & the Fly Hunnies. Having returned to the academy, they are now in the final year of a BA in Māori Studies and Pacific Studies at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, with plans to move on to Honours and then a Master’s, to write about Māori philosophies of space-time and explore the potential of what they call “temporal sovereignty” for Māori in Aotearoa, the peoples of Oceania, and beyond.
They are passionate about learning te reo Māori and exploring decolonial narratives that envision an Oceanic future, free from socioeconomic, structural, or systemic lack for ngā iwi taketake katoa.
Piripi Mackie (ia/they/them) [Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngā Rauru, Kai Tahu, Scotland] professionally known as Misty Frequency is a Takatāpui multidisciplinary artist who merges traditional and contemporary mahi toi to serve as a form of Takatāpui futurism, a koha for their community.
In their own practice and as member of the Takatāpui arts collective Utu Ā Matimati, Misty is drawn to the ideas of inclusion, advocacy and celebration of other Takatāpui; Misty paints an ethereal scene of safety within their work.
Mauri ora!
He Whare Mahana - A Takatāpui Exhibition
Saturday 20 Sept – 17 Oct
He Whare Mahana - a warm house, a full house, a cosy kainga to nurture your dreams and the infinite queer possibilities. Tātou āhuru mōwai, nau mai, haere mai.
This group exhibition is curated by Utu ā Matimati - takatāpui art collective. The celebration of takatāpui futures, remembers the journey of our tuākana, and reflects on hauora takatāpui. Inspiration is taken from how we, as takatāpui, occupy space. Placing pride in the things we use to adorn our whare because they represent us and the kaupapa we hold in our hearts.
