Julie Paama-Pengelly (Ngāi Te Rangi / Te moutere o Matakana) describes herself as a practitioner of political identity activism through the teachings and practice of mahi toi, predominantly Tā moko.
Living and working in te rohe o Tauranga Moana, her studio is a space that nurtures a diverse group of creatives. Julie was one of the first wahine kai tā of modern times, working, sharing, learning, and leading in a very male-dominated space.
In this episode we talk about her journey with tā moko, the power and resurgence of our traditional marks and we discuss pūhoro, for wāhine.
“When it comes to moko it is activating our desire to be proud of who we are – ourselves. That’s our private idaho, that’s our private mission as Māori.”
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