Artist and musician Jahvan Apatu with one of the works he created as part of his Masters degree in professional creative practice.

When local DJ Jahvan Apatu enrolled at Toihoukura he did not realise it was the start of a journey
that looks set to lead him to a doctorate in Māori arts.

Jahvan this year achieved his Master’s degree in Te Hono ki Toi (Poutiriao), Master of Professional Creative Practice, the culmination of several years of study and practice.

What started as a three-year bachelor’s degree programme in 2007 has become an all-consuming passion. It looks set to make him one of the country’s most accomplished digital designers in the Māori arts.
After being named the top degree student in 2010,he returned to study for his masters in 2017 which involved a fair bit of time management. He currently works full-time as a computer systems IT technician 

Each week, Jahvan immersed himself into his studies, which centred on Te Haaro o te Kaahu ki tua whakarere (The view of
the Hawk – our future), which had fascinated him all his life.

He grew up at Waipatu in Hawke’s Bay, where the hawk has always been a cultural icon of his people, Ngāti Kahungunu.
He became engrossed with the hawk’s qualities and how his ancestors had learned all of these attributes entirely through
observation.

Apart from the hawk’s ability to soar, glide, dive, and conserve energy, one of its most powerful qualities was its telescopic vision, seeing minute figures from long distances.

Jahvan used a drone to explore the latter, to capture the essence of his tūrangawaewae (home) through the eyes of a hawk.

He researched karakia, a quality the hawk had attained, and through this research learned that the hawk was the teacher of
karakia to mankind.

He says this enabled him to see things from a different perspective and the results can be seen in his work, which combines digital graphics with finely executed hand designs,reminiscent of Ta Moko (Māori tattoo).

He is a highly regarded practitioner of the latter, which he learned under the tutelage of Toihoukura’s Professor Derek Lardelli.

“Kōwhaiwhai has always been the foundation of my work,” he says.

“I like the detailed intricate work and I can relate it back to the kaahu and how it can see small figures from a distance.”

He says starting his doctorate is definitely on the horizon, but is not sure whether he will stick to the same kaupapa. He is
toying with the idea of centring his PhD on his ancestor Peni Te Ua Mairangi who established the first Māori Parliament at
Waipatu Marae.

His studies have drawn him strongly back to his roots, linking him more closely to his people.
“My family is my main focus – my parents and family are still there.”

However, for now Jahvan expects to stay with his EIT and Toihoukura family for the time being.