If you look closely at Yumi’s muka kākahu, you’ll spot her family crest (kamon) – a beautiful expression of how she’s woven together te ao Māori and her own Japanese culture.
Originally from Tokyo, the Maunga Kura Toi tauira sees many similarities between Māori and Japanese values.
“The main thing we have in common is how we value human relationships. Although I am a foreigner here in New Zealand, I have a raranga whānau. Raranga is not just about weaving, it connects you to culture and people.”
Yumi’s toi journey began several years ago, studying Kāwai Raupapa and then Toi Paematua at our Palmerston North and Whanganui campuses. She remembers feeling apprehensive about attending noho, but challenged herself to overcome her fears.
In 2024, Yumi enrolled in Maunga Kura Toi in Rotorua to deepen her skills and continue working with muka, travelling from Taranaki to attend noho every 2 months.
Her stunning mahi toi is on display at Rotorua Library until 6 November.
Yumi is deeply grateful to her kaiako for their guidance, warmth, and kindness, and for the inclusive whānau she’s found at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
“I want to really acknowledge the wānanga as they have made everything possible.”
Coming from a different culture, Yumi is mindful of Māori tikanga, ensuring she approaches each new experience with respect. Alongside raranga, she has learned about te ao Māori, the atua and completed a rongoā programme. Her next step is to enrol in te reo Māori where she can explore her passion for waiata.
Ngā Pou o te Whare Pora Hei Whakanui i a Mākereti Papakura is at Rotorua Library from 20 October to 7 November and features toi mahi from tauira at level 4 through to level 7. The exhibition is dedicated to Mākereti Papakura, the first Indigenous woman to study at Oxford University and who was recently awarded a posthumous masters degree for her work exploring the customs and practices of Te Arawa from a female perspective.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has mahi toi exhibitions around the motu this October and November. Find one near you.
