We are pleased to announce that two incredible ākonga from our kura, Adria Gawn (Year 13) and Lilyalofa Alex Talaia (Year 12), have had their mahi accepted into the eleventh annual Ringa Toi student exhibition facilitated through NZQA. 

Held annually, Ringa Toi showcases artwork of secondary school students with a focus on Toi Māori and Pacific Arts at excellence level. The exhibition is currently on at PĀTAKA Art + Museum in Porirua and will run until the 30th of this month. 

Artwork Title: Lua Nifo

Materials: Wood-turned Kauri, Cast epoxy resin and Piha iron sand, waxed thread.

About the work: My brief was to create a cultural weapon with a sci-fi twist for a character of my own creation. I have chosen to create the Lua Nifo for my character Faaloloi, inspired and named after my mother. Faaloloi is a young Pasifika woman living on Moana-9, an ocean planet. She wields a futuristic double-ended blade called Lua Nifo, inspired by traditional weapons of her ancestors and the Star Wars character Darth Maul’s double-ended lightsaber. The blade and handle are influenced by the Sāmoan Nifo’oti, with Tongan Akau Tau engravings. When her home planet is under attack by those wishing to destroy and erase her people’s culture, Faaloloi volunteers to fight and protect her planet and loved ones. However, through her voyage to save her home, she learns her greatest power does not come from her weapon itself, but from her connection to her aiga, culture, & heritage.

Artwork Title: E iloa le tama’ita’i Sāmoa i lana tu, savali, ma lana tautala

About the work: There's this saying in the Sāmoan culture that states “E iloa le tama’ita’i Sāmoa i lana tu, savali, ma lana tautala”.  When translated, this means “You know a true Sāmoan by the way she stands, the way she walks and the way she talks”. Siva Sāmoas show how we come together as a whole to represent our culture with one another and keep our tradition alive. It allows us to teach and lead the younger generation to grow up learning about the Sāmoan culture. This photo represents the importance of the Sāmoan Culture. It brings us together and represents the importance of connections with our ancestors. This also shows how we traditionally do an item called Siva Sāmoa. Puletasis are cultural outfits we wear during important events such as church, weddings, and more.