Film producer Chelsea Winstanley and musician Stan Walker were among the winners at inaugural awards for Māori creatives held in Tauranga to celebrate Matariki.
Chart-topper Stan Walker was named Creative of The Year/Te Auahatanga o te wā ki Tauranga Moana. Walker, who is expecting his first baby with partner Lou Tyson, could not travel to Tauranga to attend due to the imminent birth, so his aunt collected on his behalf.
Oscar nominee Winstanley was presented with the Leadership in Film award/ Arataki Kiriata o Tauranga Moana.
Winstanley is producer of movie hits including What We Do in the Shadows and Jojo Rabbit, directed by her former partner Taika Waititi a as well as documentaries celebrating indigeneous peoples, such as Māori director Merata Mita. She has also translated Disney movies Moana and The Lion King into te reo Māori.
Receiving her award at the event, Winstanley said, she was honoured to be at the inaugural event, and gave credit to the “amazing talent” of people in the film industry in Aotearoa.
Other awards included the Leadership in Music award for local singer Ria Hall, the Contribution to Youth Award to slam poet Kahu Rolleston and International Leadership award to designer Shona Tawhiao.
The Ngā Tohu Toi Mo Ngā Uri Iwi o Te Rohe o Tauranga Moana awards were organised by Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust, a collective that aims to champion Māori arts distinctive ongoing contribution to the Bay of Plenty region.
Presented at a ceremony on Friday evening held at Waikato University’s Tauranga Campus to align with the first Matariki Public Holiday in Aotearoa, the awardsare set to become an annual event.
“The awards acknowledge the depth of the artistic talent that whakapapa to Tauranga Moana, to celebrate and recognise Māori who play a part in creating our regional identity and who take this beyond our boundaries and in some cases, internationally,” said Ayesha Kee, community development manager at Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust.
Sponsors joining Waikato University include Tauranga City Council, Toi Ohomai, Creative Bay of Plenty, Tauranga Boys’ College, Eqalis, Holland Beckett, Supercuts Projects, Te Puni Kokiri, Art & Body Creative Studio, Whare PR and Stuff Ltd.
Guests enjoyed refreshments by local caterers The Happy Puku, established by Tauranga social agency Te Tuinga Whanau to help teach cooking skills to the city’s homeless.
Te Tuhi Mareikura was set up in 2015 by a small group of Māori artists who wanted to raise the profile of iwi creatives and advance education opportunities in Māori arts.
“Our goal is to ensure the continued advancement and development of ngā toi māori - Māori arts, the wider creative community and art audiences,” says Julie Paama-Pengelly, Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust chairperson.
Credit: Stuff.co.nz
