Ngā mahi toi

Uhi Tai began as a toi Māori expression of the Tangaroa Ararau research project—an immersive exhibition that reimagined a marine governance regime with the ocean at the heart of decision-making.

Held as part of the project’s public dissemination, the exhibition drew on traditional Māori methods of knowledge sharing and storytelling. It featured a powerful blend of media—including video, audio, painting, sculpture, waiata, weaving, carving, taonga pūoro, tā moko, and print—bringing the research findings to life through artistic expression.

While this exhibition marked the public debut of Uhi Tai, the kaupapa has since evolved into a broader, ongoing commitment to research, training, and advocacy in the marine space. The works presented here remain as a visual legacy of Tangaroa Ararau and a creative call to action—inviting reflection on what a tikanga-led marine governance system, grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, could look like for Aotearoa.