Arts Council Grants

Mana (Auckland), Volume 2, Issue 1, 6 April 1978, Page 4

Arts Council Grants

The Maori Affairs Parliamentary Select Committee is considering amendments to the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council Act which will establish a Council for Traditional Maori and Polynesian Arts. While welcoming the amendments, the Arts Council will make submissions to the Committee to clarify its reasons for suggesting the setting up of such a Traditional Council. For some years the Arts Council has funded activities in the area of traditional Maori and Polynesian arts. But lack of money for projects in this area meant that the Council’s support was rather inconsistent. To overcome this, the Arts Council applied to the Government for $50,000 to establish a Council for Traditional Maori and Polynesian Arts and provide funding for projects. The Arts Council suggested this new Council should have the same status as the three existing regional arts councils. Its membership would be drawn from Maori and Pacific Island communities within New Zealand and that its activities should be conducted in accordance with the traditions of Maori and Polynesian cultures. The members of the Council should have a knowledge of the arts and mana within, their own communities. The Traditional Council would formulate and carry out its own policies, and administer its own funds to encourage projects that are within the cultural traditions of Maori and Pacific Island art. The Arts Council did not intend the Council for Traditional Maori and Polynesian Arts to fund Maori artists who work within European artistic styles. These artists would still go to the Arts Council for support, along with other artists who work within the European tradititns. The Traditional Council’s purpose is to provide a separate and additional source of funding

specifically for marae based arts activities and projects, which fall within Maori or Polynesian cultural traditions. It will mean that guaranteed and continuing support is available for artists working within the traditions of their ancestors.

Although the Council has not yet been formed, the Arts Council administered a $50,000 government grant last year after consulting selected authorities on traditional Maori and Polynesian culture.

The following individuals and groups received grants:

Arnold Wilson, an arts and crafts advisor with the Education Department, has received a grant of $2,500 to document and research the history of the meeting houses of the Tuhoe and surrounding areas for the local people.

Duncan Kapa was awarded a grant of $2,000 to assist with his living expenses for one year while he assists with the carving of Tumutumuwhenua at Orakei Marae.

Tara Werner received a grant of $ 1,000 to assist with the costs of recording the waiata of the Ngati Raukawa and Ngati Toa tribes. The tapes will then be given to these tribes.

Erenora Hetet has received a grant of up to $2,000 to assist with transport costs while studying korowai weaving with Rangimarie Hetet in Te Kuiti. Erenora Hetet, who is a tutor at the Rotorua Institute of Maori Arts and Crafts, will then be able to pass this knowledge on to other interested women. The Hairini-Waimapu Maori Committee: Ranginui Marae, Tauranga was 1 granted $l,OOO for the carving of two poupou for the new wharekai by master carver Tuti Tukaokao.