Toi Iho is the very core, the essence of Māori Art. Where it comes from, its origins, its narrative, its histories, what we call 'teikaka', the heart of it. Toi Iho identifies what has been made by Māori hand.
Toi Iho signifies Māori made and the best of Māori art.
Toi Iho's commitment to nurturing emerging artists like me is truly incredible. I’m proud to be associated with Toi Iho, an organisation driving Māori art forward.
Hemi Macgregor
Toi Iho unifies a community of Māori creatives centered on the foundations of one's whakapapa and artistic excellence.
Kelcy Taratoa
We use senior artists in the artform to assess. Our assessors use their judgement to assess examples of work against four pou.
Hoahoa (Design) Aesthetic impact, intent, structure, and use of form or medium
• Demonstrates intentional and coherent design or compositional choices
• Communicates meaning through structural, sensory, or symbolic elements
• Shows sensitivity to medium, format, rhythm, form, style, or audience experience (as appropriate to the artform)
Pūkenga (Technical Skills) Demonstrates control, fluency, and depth of technical knowledge
• Demonstrates proficiency or mastery of discipline-specific techniques, methods, or tools
• Shows care, accuracy, and intentional refinement in execution or delivery
• Applies appropriate technical conventions with consistency and confidence
Kōrero Tuku Iho (Māori Cultural Context) Foundations in whakapapa, tikanga, and te ao Māori
• Connects meaningfully to iwi, hapū, whānau, or ancestral narratives and relationships
• Demonstrates awareness of cultural, spiritual, and social context
• Upholds tikanga and cultural integrity appropriate to the kaupapa and medium
Auahatanga (Originality) Innovations grounded in cultural integrity. For artists maintaining or protecting traditional practices, originality may be reflected through refinement, contextual framing, or continuity of form rather than change
• Intentionally and meaningfully pushes boundaries of form, method, genre, or presentation
• Offers fresh or distinct perspectives, concepts, or interpretations
• Contributes something new, relevant, or generative to the field, art form, or cultural conversation
They assess across each Pou, identifying where the artist sits in Te Ara Toi (their artistic path).
Te Kākano:The artist is at the start of their journey
Te Māhuri :The artist’s voice is emerging and taking shape
Te Rākau: The artist demonstrates depth and confidence.
Te Totara:The artist stands tall as a recognised leader or example
Toi Iho ensures the authenticity and quality of Toi Māori.
We are a community of Māori artists, and actively promote Māori art, enhancing visibility for a diverse range of expressions—from traditional forms to contemporary interpretations of our stories and culture.
We protect against imitation and cultural misappropriation of Mātauranga Māori and Māori art through our IP advisory panel.
Toi Iho was established to promote and safeguard the authenticity of Māori art.Toi Iho extends beyond being just a mark; it symbolises a community of artists collaboratively advancing Māori art. Achieving recognition as a Toi Iho artist signifies that your work is acknowledged as genuine Māori art, actively contributing to the preservation and promotion of Māori culture.
As a part of this community, you can expect promotion, support and assistance with intellectual property (IP). Joining this collective effort means becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to uplifting and promoting Māori arts.
The Toi Iho mark, designed to assist consumers in identifying authentic Māori art, provides a distinct market advantage for artists holding this designation. The recognition associated with the Toi Iho mark can result in heightened sales and expanded market access for your artwork. In addition, the mark signifies that your artwork adheres to specific quality standards, appealing to buyers seeking high-quality, genuine Māori art.
No. Toi Iho focuses on the authenticity of the artwork and its alignment with Māori cultural traditions. Artists, whether professional or emerging, are evaluated based on the adherence to specific standards set by Toi Iho.
There are currently no registration fees for artists.
Apply using the form on the Toi Iho website, with four high resolution images of your work and one image of you. You should also demonstrate that you have an understanding of Māori elements of design and how your work reflects customary or contemporary aspects of Te Ao Māori, the world of Māori.
We send your application to our assessors to review. Our assessors are selected from senior artists, depending on your art discipline. We have assessors across the entire range of Toi Māori.
The assessment may take up to two months depending on how busy our assessors are. We will email you to let you know the result of your application. If you are unsuccessful the assessors will share feedback and guidance. You are welcome to reapply when there is new information with supporting evidence that your practice has changed and your work is more widely known.
Before you begin the registration process you'll need the following:
If you have any questions, need assistance, want to send in video instead of writing, or talk through the process, please contact us : admin@toiiho.org.nz
TOI IHO and the TOI IHO logo are taonga and trade marks of Toi Iho Charitable Trust. Toi Iho Charitable Trust is the kaitiaki of the taonga and owner of the trade marks. All use of these taonga and trade marks must be consistent with rules, policies, and tikanga set by Toi Iho Charitable Trust.
