WHAT IS IT?

HE AHA TENEI?

The Mīharo annual Art Exhibition and Awards night is an opportunity to showcase art from Early Childhood Education, Primary and Secondary schools, and 18-25 year olds. The exhibition is free to enter and is displayed for a number of weeks in a local gallery. The Murihiku exhibition is held at Mīharo, and the Central Lakes Exhibition is held at Te Atamira, Frankton.


The theme for this years exhibition is "Legends of Our Lands -Our people, our places, our stories.''


We encourage you to explore legends and stories from all of our beautiful surrounding Pacific Islands, as well as investigate different mediums of art and creative ways to portray these stories.

Murihiku ART

EXHIBITION


We are excited to start preparing for our annual Mīharo Murihiku Art Exhibition, which opens to the public on July 24th.


All pieces that enter are displayed in either the Mīharo Gallery or the Invercargill Public Library. Entries are welcome from tamariki in ECE, Primary, and Secondary Schools. We also have an open 18-25 year old category.


The theme for this years exhibition is "Legends of Our Lands: Our People, Our Places, Our Stories."


For more information including due dates, specifications and award categories, download the form here.

Mīharo Art exhibition

CENTRAL LAKES


Following our Murihiku Art Exhibition, we are extremely excited to be working on the annual Central Lakes Art Exhibition.


This exhibition, also themed "Legends of Our Lands: Our People, Our Places, Our Stories," opens to the public in late September.


All pieces that enter are displayed in Te Atamira Gallery, Frankton. Entries are welcome from tamariki in ECE, Primary, and Secondary Schools. We also have an open 18-25 year old category.


More information, including due dates award categories, will be available soon.

Māori and Pasifika peoples have always passed on stories to children to ensure the intergenerational transmission of knowledge, understandings, traditions and wisdom from their ancestors.


Through this practice, accounts of worldview perspectives, legendary ancestors, historical events, inspiring people, and stories of how places were formed and named, all become implanted in a child’s mind. They help to explain human existence, characteristics of human nature, the environment, and the basis of a cultural worldview. They are an integral part of cultural identity and the use of imagery and symbolism are woven within these precious stories.


Mīharo Murihiku is so excited to see how our Kohanga Reo, ECE's, Schools, Kura Kaupapa, Mana Whenua and communities work together to interpret and present this knowledge through the arts. "Legends of Our Lands -
Our people, our places, our stories.''

Click here to download the Unit Overview

BREAK DOWN

The theme can be separated into three possible areas for you to draw your inspiration from:

A black and white drawing of a light bulb on a white background.

Creation Legends

Stories about the origin of something; how the world and everything in it came to be. Often involving atua, supernatural beings, or events which explain the creation of environmental elements.

A black and white drawing of an open book on a white background.

Historical Legends

Tell stories of specific people, ancestors, tupuna, events and the places our people inhabit.

A black and white drawing of a person on a white background.

Personal Legends

Your stories of people, places, islands and events within your own whakapapa, whānau, aiga, fanau.

Still looking for inspiration? Click the button below to view a list of whakatauki (proverbs) related to the theme, from different Polynesian languages

Whakatauki - Proverbs

T-SHIRT DESIGN COMPETITION

TŌHU TAUTUA

Each year we hold an annual T-Shirt design competition, Tōhu Tautua, which is open to ECE through to Secondary School students. The theme for this years design is "Legends of Our Lands- Our People, Our Places, Our Stories."


Entries for Murihiku are due Friday 3rd July. You can download a template and entry form here, and email it to kheelan@miharo.org.


Entries for Central Lakes are due Monday 7 September.  You can download a template and entry form here, and email it to fogafu@miharo.org.


Winners for both regions will be contacted prior to the Art Awards night, where their design will be printed onto that regions Polyfest T-Shirt and worn by hundreds of volunteers and community members.

submitting your entries

Our team are excited to greet you and welcome your mahi toi. All Murihiku art entries can be delivered to:

Mīharo Murihiku Trust

28 Don Street, Ground Floor

Inverargill 9810


All Central Lakes art entries can be delivered to:

Te Atamira Art Gallery

11/12 Hawthorne Drive

Frankton

Tāhuna Queenstown 9300


If you have any questions about the exhibition or awards night, please email fogafu@miharo.org (Central Lakes), or  kheelan@miharo.org (Murihiku)


Remember, entries need to include:

- A completed entry form (Murihiku, or Central Lakes)

- A photo of your assembled piece (in its correct orientation)

- Any kōrero/stories behind your piece

A woman and a little girl are looking at paintings on a wall.