Ahorangi/Professor Derek Lardelli (centre) with Ayson Lewis (left) and Makarini Solomom who all featured in this year’s Matariki awards.

The status of Toihoukura – EIT Tairāwhiti’s School of Visual Māori Arts – as a world-class faculty was further enhanced when its professor/ahorangi and two of his colleagues starred in Māori Television’s Matariki Awards last month.

Professor/Ahorangi Derek Lardelli was bestowed with the supreme award- Te Tohu Tiketike ō Matariki – for the significant and lasting impact he has made on Aotearoa.

His colleagues, workshop technician Ayson Lewis and tutor Makarini Solomon, were commissioned to create the taonga presented to the winners of each of the 14 categories.

“These awards acknowledge absolute excellence within Māoridom and so we were quietly stoked that when the organisers felt they needed art pieces befitting of the crème de la crème of the Māori world, they thought of Toihoukura”, says Toihoukura kaitiaki (Head of School) Dayle Takitimu.

“The achievements reaffirm the magic within the Toihoukura creative leadership –  we are continually striving to become synonymous with excellence in the Māori arts.

“Ayson Lewis and Makarini Solomon were only 16 when they come to Toihoukura. They emerged as men who were leaders in their field, now teaching others.”

Ahorangi/Professor Lardelli says Toihoukura is a place for those who have “art in their heart”.

It is not just a place for the elite or the academic, it is for anyone with potential.

“Our mission is to grow indigenous artists; to let them explore the world through the lens of the arts,” he says.

He believes the Matariki award is a reflection of the community who have made Toihoukura what it is today. He has been with Toihoukura since its inception 25 years ago and says it continues to develop and move forward.

“I think essentially it’s about those who spend their whole lives sharing what they have – it’s not just work, it reflects one’s passion.”

As well as the Te Tohu Tiketike ō Matariki Award, Professor Lardelli was also awarded, conjointly with Arts Laureate recipient actress Rachel House, the Te Waipuna Rangi Award for Arts and Entertainment.

The latest awards are on top of a string of other prestigious awards that recognise him not only as one of the country’s most notable contemporary artists but also as a dynamic leader within Māori culture.

Among an extensive list of other awards recognising his achievements Professor Lardelli has also been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) and presented with the Arts Foundation Laureate Award.