30 Nov 2010
Taku manawa e kakapa nei. E kakapa ana ki ngā whetū, ki te marama ka tau nei ki te rua. Kātahi au ka kite i te hē,
Kātahi au ka kite i te mate. Ko taku tau kahurangi, ka riro kei Paerau, ki te huihuinga o te kahurangi. Ka oti atu koutou e. E te kuia morehu, te ringa kaikaha o te whare pora, kua rere atu rā koe ki te kāhui rangatira e tatari mai i runga i o maunga, kia kakengia e koe tō waka whakarei ki Te Reinga e titiro ake ai koe ki ngā tai e rua e papaki mai rā. E kore a muri e hokia.
Creative New Zealand mourns the loss of Māori leader and arts advocate Te Aue Davis (Ngāti Uekaha and Maniapoto) who passed away on Sunday at the age of 85.
Te Aue Davis was a key figure in the renaissance of the Māori weaving movement, co-founding the Aotearoa Moananui-a-Kiwa Weavers Association in 1983. She worked extensively with the Department of Conservation to develop their understanding of the importance of artists having access to natural resources for the continuation of mahi harakeke. This resulted in policy changes that allowed weavers access to plants and feathers from protected birds that had been previously inaccessible.
In 1985 Te Aue Davis was honoured for her commitment to the protection and preservation of mahi harakeke by becoming the first Te Waka Toi Award recipient. Chair of Te Waka Toi, Darrin Haimona says that her determination and vision set a benchmark for the awards which have been going for 25 years.
“We cannot underestimate the influence of Te Aue Davis and her advocacy of the arts; from her talent as a gifted linguist in Tainui traditions to her work with the weavers, she has left a legacy of leadership and commitment to toi Māori,” he said.
Te Aue Davis is at her ancestral marae Te Kaputuhi in Waitomo.
Ko te mate kino nei ko ana haere iti ko ana haere rahi. Rikiriki naonao ko te tama a te petipeti, ko te tama a te rangahua kuku matawhare kutia mai ra e kauhau ariki, he kauhau taniwha anei ko koe tera. Na reira haere atu rä, moe mai rä koe e te kuia.
For further information contact:
Katrina Smit katrinas@creativenz.govt.nz
Media and Communications Adviser
Tel: 04 498 0727 or 027 290 1606
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