Re-imagining a cultural icon - Toi came to Aotearoa from the Pacific, the original settler of the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Toi is a unifying figure, his genealogy connects many iwi (tribes) across Aotearoa/New Zealand. This Poupou (carved figure) is made from laminated acrylic, internally lit with LED’s. Toi is a symbol for leadership, adaptability and innovation.
Created as an allegorical identity piece in 2010, for Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, the Indigenous University’s Auckland campus.