Tahuna Te Ahi (Setting the World Alight) is a new series dedicated to showcasing ringatoi Māori - both emerging and experienced - across Aotearoa, celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of Toi Māori. 

This partnership between The Big Idea and Te Manawa will provide 'snapshots' into an artist’s creative journey and practice, whilst also illuminating personal aspects about the artist as a person. Each featured artist is presented with several pātai options - spanning creative practice, personal reflections, future plans - and can choose the one they feel most drawn to answer. 

Aligning with New Zealand Music Month, we have the pleasure of spotlighting sound artist Rāhana Winiata Tito-Taylor (Ngāpuhi-nui-tonu, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Waikato Tainui). 

Rāhana is one of five artists Te Manawa is supporting through Te Pātaka - their new support initiative that enables ringatoi Māori to embark on a journey of personal growth and creative adventure. 

With sensitivity and depth of critical reflection in his practice of making and playing ngā Taonga Puoro, Rāhana responds to the pātai:

"What role do you believe ngā toi Māori will play in shaping the future?”

In recent reflections of my haerenga through making and playing ngā Taonga Puoro, I have found the quietly profound expressions of te Taiao present in process and materialisation across ngā toi Māori. 

Within this growing relationship with ngā toi Māori, I am endlessly inspired by  and have reverence for the creativity that exists in our environment, and acknowledge the many reflections of love, respect and inspiration held by Māori throughout time towards te Taiao.

This inspiration is both actively expressed through life itself and in the art that is an extension and reflection of that life. 

I feel that ngā toi Māori will continue to be a healing force as we remind ourselves of what has always been around us, what we have been systematically disconnected and distracted from, and what there is to give back to life.

You can check out Rāhana’s amazing mahi on the 11th of May at Silo 6 from 3pm - 5pm as part of Rā Matā produced by Noa Records and The Audio Foundation. 

About Te Manawa

Te Manawa is an initiative ‘for Māori artists, by Māori artists’, grounded in whakapapa, organised by tikanga, and shaped by collective voice. 

This is a movement to amplify, activate, and advocate for Māori arts and artists in Tāmaki Makaurau - guided by the pulse of Te Manawa, Pumanawa, Whatumanawa. These three life forces are essential, shaping how we uphold Rangatiratanga, Manaakitanga, and Auahatanga in everything we do.