Life for multi-media artist Elizabeth Kerekere is very much a planned affair.

The 47-year-old Maori visual art graduate from EIT Tairawhiti’s Toihoukura lives and breathes the three key themes that appear in her work . . . and they flow seamlessly into her busy life too.

Mana tupuna (ancestors), mana wahine (women) and mana takatapui (the right to live and love regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity) reflect everything about this takatapui artist, activist and academic.

From the first day she stepped into Toihoukura, she had everything mapped out – and three years later, it has all come together exactly as planned.

Ms Kerekere was the only degree graduate to have a solo exhibition last year – and it was held on the seventh anniversary of the death of her father, master carver and artist, Karauria Tarao (Bison) Kerekere.

“I did a project plan at the beginning of my first year and worked towards that date. As I said at my opening – it was always all about Dad.”

She is carrying her three themes through to her PhD thesis, which she is working on now.

“These three are who I am,” she says. “The PhD is about the development of takatapui identity in the 21st century.”

Ms Kerekere, who spent a decade working in Wellington running her own consultancy business on treaty relations and strategic planning, says it was always her dream to come home to Gisborne.

And to study at Toihoukura brought with it a sense of completion.

“Starting each day with moteatea and karakia was a real gift,” she says.

Her mentor, master weaver, Christina Hurihia Wirihana was another standout.

“She is a legend and for me exemplifies mana wahine – she has such incredible depth of knowledge and is willing to pass that on in a professional and nurturing way.”

Ms Kerekere is also applauded at national level – she was recently invited by the Government of Nepal, on the recommendation of the NZ Human Rights Commission, to attend the United Nations Asia Pacific Seminar on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity.

This is a woman who has dedicated her life to making the world a better and more welcoming place for those who struggle to have a voice.

“Particularly those who are Maori, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex or queer,” she says.

And art is just one way she spreads the word.