Culture 101

Raimona Inia’s focus with partner Nikora Mihinui has long been the perpetuation of their culture, with a strong focus on storytelling. A new series of six books they are producing in both Te Reo Māori and English, He hokinga mahara ki a ratou mā capture the proverbs of the elders of Te Arawa and share their origins. There are, Inia says, a total of just under 300 proverbs featured. 

We’re all familiar with the image of the Pacific woman on postcards and in tourism marketing; warm and welcoming, light-skinned, with a slim build and long wavy hair. But what happens for young women when that’s the only image perpetuated for generations?

In the far north, in Doubtless Bay, Te Tai Tokerau, Rowan Panther makes lace with fine strands of muka from the Harakeke flax bushes on her property.  Bobbin lace to be precise, which is traditionally made with cotton. Panther’s material and the forms she makes with lace reflect the Pacific environment she lives in; taking a tradition forward. 

It was the door slam heard around the world, shocking audiences. Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 play A Doll’s House caused outrage with the central character, Nora Helmer, walking out on her family, leaving behind her children and husband in search of herself and a more fulfilling life. 

Actor, writer, comedian, director and social media star Tom Sainsbury is back with his friends and they’re Camping.

As a curator at the Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua since 2007, Greg Donson has been there for artists over a period of significant change for the gallery and the city.  Now Senior Curator, he has spearheaded the redeveloped gallery’s opening series of exhibitions, curating new artists' projects and dynamic displays of works from the gallery’s rich collection, speaking to both the gallery and Wh...

Feeling the pull towards home, Waiora Bailey-Moore (Tupoho and Puketapu) returned home to Whanganui from Wellington two years ago.

Tech entrepreneur and founder of consulting company The Antipodean, Michelle Excell now proudly and happily calls Whanganui home. 

The commissioned Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery: A Whanganui biography by Edmond, published by Massey University Press, is a lively history. It reveals much about the politics and history of a small New Zealand provincial city; as its swings between conservatism and being one of the country’s most progressive. The political tussles the gallery finds itself embroiled in will strike a chord with...

Whanganui reggae fusion group NLC were winners earlier this year of best roots album at the Waiata music awards.  Quincy Jones dies at the age of 91.

Geoff Hipango is the chairperson of Te Ao Hou and grew up here. Under his leadership the marae is gaining a reputation for innovation in thinking of the wellness of people across Māori arts, health, culture and the environment, with activity entwined with the river. 

The central arts and historic precinct of Drews Avenue in Whanganui has been rejuvenated in recent years. In 2020, the council received funding from Waka Kotahi NZTA as part of the ‘Streets for People’ initiative; to transform Drews Avenue.

Artist and designer Cecelia Kumeroa (Te Ātihaunui-a-Pārāngi) has been the Iwi Arts lead for the cultural design component of the new Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery.  The new extension to the gallery, Te Pātaka o Ta Te Atiwhai Archie John Taiaroa, tells a uniquely Whanganui story. The black granite cladding is etched with an Aramoana patterning and inlaid between the granite with metal ‘tioata’...

Much loved musician and Whanganui resident Anthonie Tonnon joins Culture 101’s Whanganui show as our Fast Favourites guest.

Culture 101 is in Whanganui for the opening weekend of Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, speaking to innovators, and creative movers and shakers in this international UNESCO city of design.  The gallery has been ‘newly reimagined’ with extension from architects Warren and Mahoney, in a codesign partnership with Whanganui iwi.  A key figure in the gallery’s reopening is Sarjeant Gallery Trust chai...

Arts News: Quasi on the move, live performance contributes $17.3 billion and a Yorkshire Pud halloween costume

Collaboration with artists across many disciplines and styles has long marked out the work of Pōneke Wellington musician David Long.  David Long is perhaps still best known as a key musical partner of Don McGlashan in ‘90s band The Mutton Birds, and prior to that as part of experimental outfit Six Volts, who backed up the Front Lawn on their first recordings.  But Long has also created the music f...

When asked by the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi to describe the highlight of soon becoming a 2024 arts laureate, and winner of the Toi Kō Iriiri Queer Arts Award, playwright and producer Victor Rodger replied: “It means that I get to stand in front of an audience and thank my mother for essentially being the main reason I get to stand there in the first place.” Which is exactly what Rodger did, shar...

It’s the ‘Gumboot Capital of the World’, and proudly lives up to that reputation.

You could describe Iwen Yong as an accidental artist. Malaysian-born, he moved to New Zealand with his family at the age of six. First settling in Wellington, they moved to the Hutt Valley where he attended primary and high school. 

Two bananas duct taped to the wall find themselves unexpectedly in the spotlight. In a clown, fruit mash-up of physical theatre, How To Art is hitting the walls of Basement Theatre in Auckland.

To say the artist duo Kemi Whitwell and Niko Leyden have an obsession with backcountry huts is no overstatement.  It’s been the focus of their art and design for more than 12 years. The Waikato-based couple, who dub themselves Kemi & Niko, employ the skills of fine craft modelling, sustainable building and social connection to create miniatures of classic, and public programmes, for people to enga...

For more than two decades, award-winning journalist and presenter, Amanda Gillies has been gracing the screens in the living rooms of Kiwi homes. 

Extraordinary photographs of youth in late 70’s early ‘80s Newcastle in the UK have in recent years started to come fully into the light, thanks to the photographer’s daughter. Work that offers an interesting counter to debate over the ethics of documentary photography around the work of artists like Ans Westra here in Aotearoa New Zealand. Nicknamed at one time ‘The Demon Snapper’ for her controv...

Tucked away in the armpit of Cuba Street is Buttercat Tattoo, a collective of six artists dedicated to elevating each other's work and exploring a broad range of tattoo designs and techniques. Artists Rose Hu and Tim Gadia speak to Culture 101 about how they carved out unique careers that satisfy their artistic passions.