Kamoe Aniva Paki

Te Ara i Whiti Artist

MAHI TOI

Ko Porou Koa, Ko Hamo Te Wahine Koa, Ko Tahu Koa, Ko Hamo Te Wahine Koa!

The kaupapa of my piece is centered on Hamoterangi and her connections to Porourangi and Tahu Pōtiki.

The name of this light-based artwork is:

‘Ko Porou Koa, Ko Hamo Te Wahine Koa, Ko Tahu Koa, Ko Hamo Te Wahine Koa!’

This piece explores the powerful whakapapa lines embodied by these three tīpuna — whakapapa that anchor the identities of two major iwi in Aotearoa: Ngāti Porou and Ngāi Tahu.

Through kowhaiwhai and sculpture, I aim to portray the interwoven nature of their legacies, the way their stories ripple through generations and land. At the heart of it all is Hamoterangi, a woman of immense mana and significance — not just as a connector of whakapapa, but as a leader in her own right.

For me, she represents the essence of mana wāhine — a symbol of strength, resilience, and deep aroha. This work is a tribute to her, to the whenua of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa, and to the whakapapa that shaped my world.

Tumata Kōkiri ki te Rangi, Rereahu ki te Whenua, Maniapoto ki te Manawa – Tihei Mauri Ora!
Ko au ko Kamoe Aniva Paki. I descend from Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāpuhi on my mother’s side, and from the proud village of Nofoali‘i, Sāmoa on my father’s.
After 17 years in Ōtautahi, I have returned to Tūranga to reconnect with my mahi toi, to grow as an artist, and to deepen my understanding of self. I am a Raukura of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Whakapūmau, and I am currently in my final year of Te Toi o Ngā Rangi Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts at Toihoukura.
My aspiration is to become a kaiako, to guide and uplift our tamariki, and to share the knowledge, values, and creativity that have shaped me.
Toi is my language, my breath, and my being.
Ko au ko toi, ko toi ko ahau.