Henare Brooking

Ko Whetumatarau, Ko Puketapu nga Maunga

Ko Awatere, Ko Te Arai nga Awa

Ko Ngati Porou, Ko Rongowhakaata nga iwi

Multidisciplined Artist Henare Brooking is an indigenous (maori) professional creator. Adept at Ta Moko (indelible traditional maori skin marking) Kowhaiwhai (painting), Whakairo (wood carving), Pounamu (jade), Paraoa (whalebone), Printmaking, Merchandising and Digital Media & Design.

Henare dedicates his creative practices firstly to his wife (Michaela) & children (Hine & Maia), secondly to his immediate and wider whanau, friends, communities, iwi and networks who heavily inspire him to share the multiple pathways and opportunities from Tairawhiti to the world.

He co-founded and established Toi Ake with wife Michaela, and good friend and multi-media artist Maia Gibbs in 2020, and since then have worked tirelessly with their wide creative networks, showcasing and promoting some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s finest Maori visual arts. Recipient of the Ruanuku Award (top student award) Henare completed a Bachelors in Māori Visual Arts at Toihoukura school of Māori Art & Design, based here in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa (Gisborne) Aotearoa New Zealand, where for 5 years he also spent as a tutor of the arts.

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Since childhood where his passion for Toi maori was seeded, he has been guided and nurtured by the likes of his father Jack Brooking (Tohunga whakairo - Carving expert), and uncles Mark Kopua (Tohunga Whakairo / Moko - Carving / Moko expert) and Ta Derek Lardelli (Tohunga Toi - Creative genius). Over the last 30 plus years, both Mark & Derek have been immensely influential in the development and in-depth understandings of traditional, historical and theoretical contexts of Moko, which have been vital in the resurgence and revitalization of moko kanohi (facial moko) which under their guidance 21 years ago Henare began and to this day continues his contribution to this creative genealogical legacy.

Henare is a well traveled artist having over the last two decades navigated the country and globe, explaining, exhibiting, sharing and promoting our culture via multiple visual outputs. His aspirations as a creative is to pass on knowledge learned as tools for the future generations to achieve their dreams and aspirations within this sphere we call, Maori visual art.