Kōwhaiwhai - A lifelong pursuit

Half-body photograph of a bearded man in a white hoodie sitting against a white wall, smiling and looking off-camera. On the wall, partially visible, is a piece of art showing a kōwhaiwhai pattern in orange, blue, black and green.

Professor Ngataiharuru Taepa, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University, is a Toi Māori practitioner who comes from the tribes of Te Atiawa, Te Arawa, Kahungungu ki Wairarapa and Rangitāne. Born into a family of artists, Ngatai has explored the art form of kōwhaiwhai for most of his life and has called Te Papaioea home since 1999.

Image: Professor Ngataiharuru Taepa, Supplied. 

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