Nov. 11, 2022, 2:17 p.m.
Last month, five students from the Whakairo Toi Māori Art class at Whangārei Girls Highschool were selected to present their art in the secondary school Māori art exhibition Ringa Toi where artwork is showcased from students all around New Zealand.
"The Ringa Toi exhibition down in Wellington, initially, I had planned to take our students down there because it's an exhibition of exemplary Toi Māori and five of them were selected to go and display. So through our planning, it worked out really well because they were going to have work exhibited in that exhibition" says Janine Tito, Whakairo Kaiako at WGHS.
Te Haurerewa Brown says she is "a lot more confident in herself this year and proud to be Māori".
The trip was a recognition of the hard work they put in throughout the year and exposed them to opportunities for their future as well as the high calibre of Toi Māori being produced from around the country.
Two of the students were further successful in being recognised with awards. Koa Matete says, "I got a highly commended and one of the other girls got a commended for the Toi Matarau. I put so much into it. Not only did I go down to Ringa Toi, but I got a highly commended".
Now that the school year is winding up for exams, some of the students share their growth and personal development.
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