A Wairarapa artist was awarded a prestigious Maori arts scholarship worth $4000 at the annual Te Waka Toi Awards in Wellington on Saturday night.
Rongomaiaia Te Whaiti, Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Rangitane and Kai Tahu, was awarded the Nga Karahipi a Te Waka Toi scholarship before a crowd of about 400 people at the Creative New Zealand Te Waka Toi Awards ceremony held at the Amora Hotel Wellington on Saturday.
Te Waka Toi Awards are the only national Maori arts awards celebrating all artforms, with three Te Waka Toi scholarships for emerging artists and seven awards that recognise leadership, outstanding contribution and excellence in Maori arts.
Scholarships are based on artistic, cultural and academic merit, involvement with iwi and marae and leadership qualities, according to the Te Waka Toi website.
Ms Te Whaiti has been based in Palmerston North with her partner Kita Te Tau and two children since shifting from Masterton to start her degree in Maori Visual Arts at Te Putahi-a-toi at Massey University, where she is now working towards a masters in Maori Visual Arts.