Hamilton master carver and kaumātua Rei Mihaere has been honoured with a Hamilton Civic Award, recognising more than four decades of cultural leadership, community service, and his transformative work with tamariki and rangatahi across the Waikato through whakairo, education programmes like Tipuaki – a carving programme for kids in schools, and his long-time role with Te Kōhao Health and Kirikiriroa Marae.
Rei Mihaere is a revered New Zealand Master Carver (whakairo expert) and cultural leader (kaumātua) from the Waikato region. He was recently honored with a Hamilton Kirikiriroa Civic Award for over 40 years of service to his community.
His work focuses on:
- Cultural Revitalization: Dedicated to strengthening Māori cultural identity and reconnecting children (tamariki) and youth (rangatahi) with the Māori world (te ao Māori).
- Community Advocacy: He serves as a cultural advisor and Whānau Ora Cultural Navigator for Te Kōhao Health and is a kaumātua for Kirikiriroa Marae.
- Education: Leads carving programs, such as “Tipu Ake” and “Te Pou Taurahere,” in collaboration with local schools, using the traditional art of carving to teach whakapapa (genealogy), foster a sense of belonging, and develop social skills.
- Challenging Norms: He has championed gender equity in traditional arts by creating opportunities for women (wāhine) to participate in whakairo.
Mihaere was taught by Tohunga Whakairo (master carver) Wi Kuki Te Uranga Te Ra Kingi and has completed major projects around Aotearoa (New Zealand) and internationally. He even carved for the late Māori Queen, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu. His work is described as a “taonga” (treasure) to the community, having a profound and transformative impact on generations.
