Ngā Taonga Toi a Te Waka Toi (Te Waka Toi Awards)

On this page:

• Who can be nominated
• How award recipients are selected
• Recipients for 2024
• Who to contact

Who can be nominated

Three awards are open for public nomination:

• Ngā Tohu Hautūtanga Auaha Toi – Making a Difference Award
• Ngā Manu Pīrere
• Te Tohu Iho Pūmanawa  

Nominees need to:

• be tangata whenua Māori artist working across one or more artforms (either customary or contemporary)
• be a New Zealand citizen or New Zealand permanent resident
• have a track-record of excellence and achievement and show potential for contributing to the further development of ngā toi Māori in New Zealand
• not be a previous recipient of the award in the same award category. See all previous award recipients

In addition, each award has specific criteria outlined below.

Ngā Tohu Hautūtanga Auaha Toi – Making a Difference Award

This award recognises mid-career artists’ leadership and outstanding contribution to the development of new directions in ngā toi Māori (previously called Te Tohu Toi Kē a Te Waka Toi)

Amount: $10,000 each - three recipients.

To be nominated for this award, a person needs to:

• have received high acclaim
• be innovative and challenging, broadening perceptions of ngā toi Māori
• have provided inspiration and new directions in ngā toi Māori
• affirm the mana of ngā toi Māori.

Ngā Manu Pīrere

This award recognises an emerging artist showing promise and potential in their chosen artform. This award is to recognise achievement at this developmental stage, supporting the artist to develop their arts career in their chosen field.

Amount: $10,000 each - three recipients.

To be nominated for this award, a person needs to:

• be an emerging artist who is at the early stages of their career
• have received recognition for the public presentation of at least one work in the arts practice for which they are applying for funding
• be recognised by peers or experts in the artist’s area of arts practice, which can include kaumātua or kuia, or other people of standing within the artist’s community
• have specialised training or practical experience in their area of arts practice (training need not have been at an academic institution).

Notes:

• A collective (up to three emerging artists) can be nominated or self-nominate for this award, with the $10,000 award monies shared between collective members.
• Ngā toi Māori artists or arts practitioners can be nominated or self-nominate for this award to fund a project in one or a combination of the artforms below:
  • Ngā toi Māori artforms customary and contemporary practice – visual and craft/object, performing (e.g. dance, theatre, music, etc.), language and literature.
  • Māori arts practice related area – curation, arts writing (technical or conservational).

Te Tohu Iho Pūmanawa

This award recognises and celebrates the achievement and contribution of  tangata whaikaha, tangata turi, deaf or disabled Māori artist to the standing, and standard of ngā toi Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand and/or globally.

Amount: $10,000 – one recipient

To be nominated for this award, a person needs to:

• be tangata whaikaha, tangata turi, a deaf or disabled Māori artist or a Māori artist who has a disability or impairment or lived experience of mental distress
• be a Māori artist or arts practitioner (in any artform or who is working in arts management) whose work, influence and commitment has raised the standards and reputation of ngā toi Māori.

Nominations for the following two awards are made by Creative New Zealand and are not open for public nomination.

Te Tohu Aroha mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu | Exemplary/Supreme Award

This award recognises the contribution and achievement of a senior ngā toi Māori artist to the development of ngā toi Māori.

Amount: $25.000  - one recipient

The nominee has:

• demonstrated excellence in their Māori artform
• demonstrated a commitment to sharing and passing on artistic knowledge, experience and skills to enrich others, particularly their own people
• raised the standards and expectations of Māori arts locally, nationally or globally through their work.

Ngā Tohu ā Tā Kingi Ihaka | Sir Kingi Ihaka Awards recognising lifetime contribution

This is awarded to kaumātua/kuia in recognition of their contribution to strengthening the continuity of Māori culture through their support of ngā toi Māori.

Amount: $15,000 each – 2 recipients

The nominee has:

• shown a significant contribution to encouraging participation in Māori arts, knowledge of Māori art traditions and practices, and support of Māori arts development
• strengthened the continuity of Māori art and culture through their knowledge and support of a Māori artform
• demonstrated a commitment to sharing and passing on artistic knowledge, experience and skills to enrich others. 

How award recipients are selected

Nominations were assessed by a panel of peer assessors who are senior Māori artists and practitioners.

The panel made recommendations to the Arts Council’s Komiti Māori to approve.

Recipients for 2024

Award recipients are announced in November, in partnership with Whakaata Māori, via a news item on our website, a media release and on our social media channels.

See the list of award recipients for 2024.

Who to contact

For more information email TeWakaToiAwards@creativenz.govt.nz