Toi Te Rito Maihi (1937 - 10 December 2022) was a New Zealand weaver, printmaker, painter, educator and writer. She belonged to Ngāti Ipu, Ngāi Te Apata o
Ngāti Kahungunu
Ngāti Kahungunu is a Māori iwi located along the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The iwi is traditionally centred in the Hawke's Bay and Wairārapa regions.
The tribe is organised into six geographical and administrative di ...
, Ngāti Hao o Taitokerau and the Bland Family of Yorkshire.
Maihi recounted the story of how she learned to weave. She was the only Māori foundation member of the committee of the Ngaruawahia Weaving Hui who was not known as a weaver, and so was generally assigned administrative tasks.
Eva Anderson
Eva or EVA may refer to:
* Eva (name), a feminine given name
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
* Eva (Dynamite Entertainment), a comic book character by Dynamite Entertainment
* Eva (''Devil May Cry''), Dante's mother in t ...
noticed Maihi's frustration and when a weaver had to leave the hui and abandon her partially-completed
whakairo kete, it was Anderson who invited Maihi to finish it. Late at night when she was still weaving,
Eddie Maxwell showed her how to finish it and sat with her until her first whakairo kete was completed.
Maihi has exhibited widely since the 1970s and her work is held in the collections of the
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is New Zealand's national museum and is located in Wellington. ''Te Papa Tongarewa'' translates literally to "container of treasures" or in full "container of treasured things and people that spring fr ...
and
Auckland Art Gallery
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is the principal public gallery in Auckland, New Zealand. It has the most extensive collection of national and international art in New Zealand and frequently hosts travelling international exhibitions.
Set be ...
.
Considered an expert in her field, she was the master weaver for Kohewhata Marae in
Kaikohe and a major contributor for the publication ''Whatu Kakahu: Māori Cloaks'' a publication that accompanied ''Kahu Ora'' an exhibition held at The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in 2013. She had earlier curated an exhibition, ''Fibre interface, traditional and contemporary Māori and contemporary Pakeha fibre art'' held at Te Taumata Gallery in Auckland in 1993. The exhibition showcased work by Tawai Tauroa, Eva Anderson, Clare Coyle,
Christina Hurihia Wirihana, Rangi Kiu, Eddie Maxwell, and Mary Donald, among others.
Selected publications
*Maihi, Toi Te Rito. (2003) ''Whakaaro aroha''. New Zealand.
*Maihi, Toi Te Rito. (1992) ''Pakeke! Pakeke! Whalesong'' Tamakimakaurau.
*Maihi, Toi te Rito & Lander, Maureen. (2005) ''He Kete He Kōrero''. Reed, Auckland New Zealand.
References
External links
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mKiKYvcmpw
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgcuWwjEje4
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHepwbrR6iU
1937 births
New Zealand contemporary artists
2022 deaths
New Zealand Māori artists
New Zealand Māori weavers
New Zealand weavers
New Zealand printmakers
Ngāpuhi people
Ngāti Kahungunu people
New Zealand women textile artists
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