Whakairo (Carving)
Our whakairo programmes will teach you the history and tikanga of this ancient art form
and will also give you the opportunity to get hands-on experience creating mahi toi with your own tools.
Moments from our journey
Carving a life of Toi Māori
05 April 2022He says it’s not just his toi background that attracted him to the role, but his connection to the Ōpōtiki area.
Discovering a passion for whakairo sparks change
29 February 2024Like many Māori tāne, Lebon Wilson struggled with mainstream schooling and left at 14. It’s taken him a long time to realise the benefits of being able to channel his learning and effort into something that he’s passionate about. That was by discovering whakairo.
A whakairo journey shaped by art and community
27 March 2025Murray ‘Muzz’ Green (Te Kanawa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Whatakaraka, Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Te Kiriwai, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Ngutū, Whānau-a-Apanui and Ngāti Porou) left school at 15 when he realised conventional education wasn’t for him.