Robyn Kahukiwa honoured in Pātaka exhibition
17 May 2026, Rachel Healy
This article first appeared in The Post on 15 June 2026
This article first appeared in The Post on 15 June 2026
Roma, how did you get to know Robyn?
I met Robyn when I was a young woman and always enjoyed being around her; hearing her speak and seeing her work. She was always experimenting and growing. I remember seeing her first wooden carvings done with a small chainsaw – they were fabulous. So fabulous, that I saved and saved and bought one!
But I mainly got to know Robyn during the “Haeata years”, the Māori women’s art collective that we both belonged to. Robyn and I did a book together, Oriori – a Māori child is born, from conception to birth and, alongside other Haeata members, we were in exhibitions such as the groundbreaking Karanga Karanga at City Gallery Wellington and Hineteiwaiwa te Whare as part of Mana Tiriti: The Art of Protest and Partnership marking the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Haeata provided support for Māori women artists, support that was often not offered elsewhere. The group opened up the landscape of what was possible for Māori women artists in Aotearoa. It challenged damaging, misleading information and patronising behaviours about the so-called role of Māori women. Māori women and women in general did not have the same access to support, funding, promotion and exhibition opportunities that men had. Haeata ensured Māori women artists within the group claimed gallery space for their work. Unfortunately, many of these issues are still with us now.
Haeata is still talked about today and as well as Robyn, I want to acknowledge its leaders, like Keri Kaa, Irihāpeti Ramsden, Patricia Grace, Tūngia Baker, Miriama Evans, Maaka Jones, Mihipeka Edwards and Harata Solomon.
Although Māori women toured overseas with Te Māori, Māori women’s work wasn’t included in the exhibition until it returned to Aotearoa and was shown in 1986 at the National Museum in Wellington (the precursor to Te Papa). Some additions were then made of works by women.
So yes, Haeata was cognisant of Te Māori featuring only historical, male works and largely excluding contemporary work as well. Haeata pushed for contemporary work and the inclusion of Māori women to be recognised on an equal basis to men. The group advanced its own agenda of collaborative works made by Māori women.
We received several approaches from that call and are grateful to have had the chance to view artworks we may not have otherwise seen. We did manage to locate Mahuika (1983) in a Wellington private collection and Hineahuone (1983) in the collection of Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Ōtaki. One artwork that remains elusive is Hine-nui-te-pō. So if anyone knows where that is, please get in touch with Pātaka.
Pātaka is the last stop in the exhibition’s tour – Robyn spent a lot of time living and working in Porirua – so one of these artworks could still be in the region
Slow down and spend a bit of time with Robyn’s works, ask your friends or moko to stand near their favourite work and take a photo or a selfie. You take away what you take away – you decide.
Robyn’s legacy is one of empowerment, challenge and immense care. Her gifts will endure over time and come to be seen as taonga of great worth.
Roma Pōtiki will be speaking at Pātaka, 1pm on the 27th of June. Free entry.
