Holden Hohaia
Ngati Maru ki Taranaki

For me, I especially like Maori visual art. Often it expresses the things I want to say as a Maori. Sometimes it challenges me and makes me think about my Pakeha identity as well as my Maori identity. Other times I just like it and I can't put my finger on why I like it. It might not even be because of any particular cultural message, but just because I like the colours or the shapes or something like that !!

On another level it always makes me very proud of my Maori ancestry to see authentic Maori themes and cultural values expressed in visual art. Maybe we need to take this art form more seriously as a way of building a unique sense of who we are as one nation with an indigenous people, a Pacific identity and many cultures.