July 20, 2022
Beauty aligned with mana in Māori eye
The organiser of the Ohomairangi Matariki Art and Fashion Show says he wants to challenge conventional ideas about fashion and beauty.
This year the Ohomairangi Foundation’s annual showcase was in Rotorua with models ranging in age, size and ethnicity showcasing the work of seven designers.
Kharl Wirepa says colonisation has changed Māori people’s understanding of what beauty is.
He says Rotorua, with its history of manaakitanga and its whanaungatanga, was a great place to host the kaupapa.
“The beauty standards of Māori are not measured by our physical appearance but beauty has always been measured by mana and that’s something that is inherently Te Arawa,” Mr Wirepa says.
He says while Ohomairangi is Māori-led its kaupapa is for everyone.