Learning whakairo (carving) transformed the way Kyle Ellison and Pirika Taepa taught at Hawke's Bay Regional Prison. In turn, it transformed the experiences of the men they worked alongside.

That innovative approach to reconnecting tāne with te ao Māori through toi Māori was recognised at Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards 2021, where Kyle and Pirika received the Arts Access Corrections Whai Tikanga Award.

Both men work as offender employment instructors. Inspired by their own studies at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, they reshaped their programmes to place tikanga, whakapapa and Māori arts at the centre of learning.

In recognising their work, the judging panel said:

"Kyle and Pirika are shining lights for the Department of Corrections, its Hōkai Rangi Strategy and investment in the arts. We love the energy of their mahi, their involvement with whānau and how they bring their whole selves to their work. They are role models, connecting community and prison through tikanga and toi Māori. They give hope and a future legacy based on strength, transformational change, aroha, tika, pono and mana."

Reconnecting with identity through toi Māori

Kyle teaches a Limited Credit Programme in wood manufacturing. Rather than focusing solely on carpentry skills, participants build detailed model marae while learning about the structure, symbolism and tikanga of the marae itself.

Several completed model marae have since been gifted to local schools, creating lasting connections between the prison and the wider community.

For Kyle, the greatest change isn't the finished projects but the confidence they inspire.

"By giving them the opportunity to reconnect to their Māori identity, you see a fantastic change in their demeanour. It's amazing to see the transformation in some of the men."

Inspired by the same whakairo studies, Pirika developed a course teaching kōwhaiwhai, giving participants an opportunity to explore their whakapapa while learning traditional Māori design.

"One thing we do is work to establish their pepeha, because knowing where you're from means that wherever you stand your whānau are standing with you," he says.

Arts, culture and healing

During more than two decades working in Corrections, Pirika recognised the strong interest many men had in toi Māori and the therapeutic benefits creative practice could offer.

Although his seven-week kōwhaiwhai course was still being developed, it quickly attracted strong participation, with almost every participant completing the programme.

"The kōrero during the workshop of te ao Māori traditions and where they came from was therapeutic. It's helped me understand how to manage my PTSD through concentrating, listening and patience."

One of the most meaningful moments comes at the graduation ceremony, where each participant shares the story behind a personal kōwhaiwhai artwork they have created for a loved one.

"When you have a gang member who has produced a personal work and they have to talk about it, you can see how proud they are, and you can hear it in their kōrero too," says Pirika.

After the ceremony, the artworks are sent to the men's whānau.

"The families just love it and the men often tell us how much their whānau love getting that gift."

Through whakairo, kōwhaiwhai and tikanga Māori, Kyle Ellison and Pirika Taepa have shown how arts and culture can strengthen identity, reconnect people with whānau and support meaningful rehabilitation. Their work continues to demonstrate the powerful role toi Māori can play in creating hope, belonging and lasting change.