Working for Maori Youth

The Social Service Providers Assn of Aotearoa (SSPA) has an seminar which may be of interest to some on Wed 30 May.

Working for Maori Youth: Insights from 30 Years of Whakairo and Ta Moko

Speaker: Mark Kopua

Mark Kopua is Te Aitanga a Hauiti, Ngati Ira and Ngati Porou (tribal groups) from the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. He is a tohunga (expert) ta moko artist and has been tattooing for around 16 years. Prior to doing ta moko, he did Maori whakairo (carving) for about 35 years.

Mark has been awarded the prestigious Toi Iho Maori mark of excellence in perpetuation, in recognition of his contribution to upholding the mana of traditional and contemporary Maori artforms.

Mark Kopau is an  master craver and ta moko artist and expert on Maori traditional art i.e. he was an expert witness for iwi on the Wai 262 claim, see http://tamokoake.wordpress.com   Mark has worked with disadvantaged Maori youth/apprentices for over 30 years and has some powerful coal face insights about what drives quality education and employment outcomes etc.  

The seminar is at:

St John’s in the City
Wed 30 May
5.30 pm to 7.30 pm

To attend, register with John Dickson, SSPA at info@sspa.org.nz or phone 027 510-1517.