“Ko tō tātou kaupeka, ko te toi. Ko te toi whakaaro, he mana tangata.”
Our branch is art. Where there is artistic expression, there is human dignity.
Ancient Echoes, Reimagined
for a New Dawn
Toi Whakaaro is a visionary creative studio platform dedicated to the preservation, reclamation, and celebration of Māori fine art. By utilizing cutting-edge digital mediums and artificial intelligence with absolute humility, we honour ancestral traditions within the landscape of the modern digital age.
Te Reo Māori
Mihi Whakatau
Tēnei taku toki, ko te toki nui, ko te toki roa, ko te toki tūhāhā. Tēnei taku toki i whakakoia e Hine-tū-a-hōanga i hangaia ki te whatu o Poutini E Ka whakareia kō ngā rākau o te waonui Ko te tōtara Ko te kauri Ko te pūriri Ko te ake rautangi E Ke te ngao tū Ke te ngao pai Ke te ngao matariki Kia haehaetia ki te Pūwerewere Ki te Unaunahi Ki te Tara a kae Ki te Pākati E Uhi Wero haramai te toki Haumie, Hui e, Tāiki E!
Ko te mihi tuatahi, ki a Io Matua Kore. Nāana te kore, nāana te pō, nāana hoki te Ao i whakairo. Ko Ranginui e tū iho nei, rāua ko Papatūānuku e takoto ake nei, tēnā kōrua, tēnā kōrua, tēnā kōrua. Ki ngā Atua katoa, e mihi ana, e mihi ana, e mihi ana.
E ngā mate o tēnei rohe, o tērā rohe, o tēnei hapū, o tērā hapū. Haere, haere, haere. Koutou te pito mate, ki te pito mate. Tātou te pito ora, ki te pito ora.
E rere ana te mihi ki te urunga teitei, ki te tūturutanga o te mana Māori motuhake. E te Kāhui Ariki, e te Kīngitanga, tēnā koutou. Pou kei runga, pou kei raro, pou tokomanawa o te motu, mōhou te korowai o te kotahitanga. Pai Mārire ki te whenua, Pai Mārire ki ngā tāngata katoa. E whakahonore ana i te reo o te rangimārie me te whakapono papau e tiaki nei i te mauri o te iwi. Ki ngā Ariki, ki ngā Rangatira o ngā mata Waka, o ngā Iwi me ngā Hapū o Aotearoa e hāpai nei i te mānuka o te wā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
He mihi aroha ki ōku mātua, nō rāua te reo tuatahi i tuitui i tōku ngākau toi. Ki tōku matua tāne mō tāna kōrero tēnei, "He aha tau e mahi ai, e Eria? Kei ō ringaringa tō pae tawhiti, he taonga tuku iho mā roto i te whakapapa." Ki tōku whaea, te tuarā o te kāinga, e rapa ana te toto ki Pitcairn me Tahiti mā te kāwei o Mauatua. Ki ōku matua kēkē, ōku whaea, me tōku whānau katoa i tārai i tōku tinana me tōku wairua—he mihi murehore ki a koutou.
Ki ngā Pou Kaiako, tēnei te mihi mō tō mahi tūturu me te whakapono kia ngākau māhaki.
Ko te kaupapa nei, ko te mihi ana ki ngā Tohunga Whakairo Rākau o Aotearoa. E mihi ana ki a koutou mō tō koutou whakapono ki te mahi toi, ā, e mihi kau ana mō te whakarite i te huarahi ako mō te toi whakairo rākau. E mihi ana hoki ki tō kaha, ki tō manawanui, ki tō ngākau tapatahi ki te whakaupoko i tōku huarahi. E rere ana te puna mihi ki te hunga nā rātou ahau i ārahi i te ara o te mātauranga:
- Ki a Denis Grennell, te kaiwhakarite nāna ahau i whakamau ki te ao o te reo me te wānanga, ā, nāna hoki ahau i ārahi ki te tatau o Poutama.
- Ki tōku tūāpapa i te ao toi, ki a Lou Kereopa. Nāna ahau i ako ki te kite i te ranga nui i roto i te hūmārie o te hoahoa—pēnei i te huri i te koru ki roto i te tapatoru hei whakaputanga i te Whakapapa. Kei te mihi hoki ki ōku tuākana o tērā akomanga, tae atu ki tōku hoa ki a Steve Taiapa.
- Ki a Rangi Kipa, mō te ako i ahau ki te tū pakari, ki te whakahonore i te tū o te tohunga toi mā roto i te whiu o te ture kaha.
- Ki a Hēmi Te Peeti, nāna ahau i whakaako ki te tuitui i te pūrākau, te whakataukī, me te whakatauākī ki roto i te hoahoa, me te huringa o te mātakitaki, te tautohetohe, me te whakataunga.
- Ki a Frazer Taiapa, mō te rorotu me te porotaka o ngā poupou me ngā tekoteko.
- Ki a Tākuta Ferris Jnr, mō te hātepe mātau ki te whai i te ia o te rākau.
- Ki a Hēmi Tahuparae, mō te mātāpono ngākau māhaki me te whakaatu i ngā kawe ā-rohe o Toi Whakairo.
- He mihi hoki ki ngā whakaritenga hanganga kua tohua e Tā Hirini Moko Mead hei pou mō Toi Whakaaro.
Koinei noa te kōmata o te tinitini o ngā mātauranga kua akona e au i a koutou, ā, kua hihiri ai ahau ki te auaha i āku ake mahi toi.
E hiahia ana ahau ki te mihi me te whakawhetai ki ōku hoa, ki ngā hoa mahi, me ngā Ringatoi Toi Māori e whakaohooho ana i a au i ia rā, i ia rā.
Nā Hēmi Te Peeti tēnei karakia i whakaako ki a mātou, ki ngā tauira, i a mātou e ako ana ki te Kuratini o Whitireia. Kua hāpai tonu ahau i tēnei karakia i roto i aku mahi whakairo, me ngā wāhi katoa e pā ana ki te mahi toi.
Nau mai, haere mai, haere mai, i piki ki te whārangi tukutuku nei.
He tauira tonu ahau mō ake tonu atu. Ki te meinga kua muna tētahi kāwai whakapapa, kua mahue rānei tētahi mihi whakamiha, ehara tēnā i te whakaaro kino. He ngākau tūwhera, he taringa whakarongo tōku ki ngā tohutohu a te hunga mōhio. Whakatikaia ahau, ka ārahi i ahau ki te ara tika.
Nō reira, āpiti hono, tātai hono, ki te hunga mate, ki te hunga mate. Āpiti hono, tātai hono, ki te hunga ora, ki te hunga ora.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
Vision
At its heart, Toi Whakaaro exists to ensure that the intricate, sacred, and deeply meaningful traditions of Toi Whakairo (the art of carving) are not left behind in the rapid rush of the modern world. I firmly believe that technology — when steered with cultural reverence, proper protocol (tikanga), and deep respect — can become a powerful vehicle for indigenous preservation.
The name Toi Whakaaro translates to the “Art of Thought.” It reflects our unshakeable belief that every line, spiral, and notch carries a deliberate intention, an ancestral lineage, and a profound spiritual weight. We do not seek to overwrite the past; rather, we strive to bring forth ancient echoes in a newly fashioned way — keeping the wairua (spirit) vibrantly alive while providing a safe, authentic digital portal for a global audience of artists, designers, and storytellers.
“Each Māori design is a portal to the history of ngā Iwi Māori of Aotearoa.”
— Eria Gray, Ko wai au?
Eria Gray
Artist · Wood Carver · Custodian of Māori Digital Art
Wellington, New Zealand
Ko tōku Whakapapa | Lineage
Ko Tainui rāua ko Tākitimu ōku Waka (Tainui and Tākitimu are my ancestral canoes)
Ko Waitohu tōku Awa (Waitohu is my river)
Ko Pukekaraka tōku Maunga (Pukekaraka is my mountain)
Ko Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga rāua ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa ōku Iwi (Ngāti Raukawa in the South and Ngāti Kahungunu in Wairoa are my tribes)
Ko Roderick rāua ko Joan Gray ōku Mātua (Roderick and Joan Gray are my parents)
Ko Eria Gray ahau (I am Eria Gray)
Biography
Born in Wellington, Eria Gray’s early years were shaped by the communities of Wilton and Karori before his family settled in Porirua East. After completing his secondary education at Bishop Viard College, Eria began a dedicated, life-long pursuit of Māori arts — a journey deeply rooted in the strong cultural foundations provided by his parents.
Biography & Artistic Journey
Eria’s primary focus lies within the complex, rhythmic discipline of traditional Māori wood carving (Toi Whakairo). His artistic calling began profoundly with a simple bone carving created as a gift for his mother — a pivotal piece that sparked an enduring commitment to the craft. Since that moment, he has refined his skills through various prestigious Māori art spaces and institutions.
A defining transition in Eria’s career occurred in 1994, while studying under the guidance of master carver Lou Kereopa. During this intense period of immersion, Eria found his true creative purpose, committing himself fully to the life and responsibilities of an artist. Eria views his practice as a “percolated mixture” of his ancestral lineage and his lived education. Every template and piece he fashions exists at the exact intersection of ancestral guidance, the technical expertise of his mentors, and his own unique, contemporary vision.
The Four Pillars of Toi Whakaaro
Preservation
Kaitiakitanga
Safeguarding the ancient patterns, motifs, and stories of Māori fine art — ensuring they are never lost to time, but instead carried forward with supreme reverence and care.
Innovation
Whakauka
Harnessing the power of modern digital and AI tools to breathe new life into traditional forms, allowing sacred designs to flourish in the digital age without compromising their core wairua.
Connection
Hononga
Bridging the gap between the carver, the ancestral culture, and the modern audience — making authentic design layouts safely accessible to creators, designers, and storytellers around the world.
Legacy
Tūāpapa
Building an enduring, living archive of authentic Māori artistic expression that future generations can draw from, learn from, and safely build upon.
Who Is It For?
Toi Whakaaro is built for anyone who feels a profound connection to Māori art and wishes to engage with it safely, respectfully, and creatively:
- Artists and Illustrators seeking authentic, verified cultural inspiration.
- Designers building brands, products, or packaging anchored in genuine Māori identity.
- Educators and Students wanting to explore a living, evolving cultural heritage.
- Businesses looking for meaningful, beautifully licensed Māori-inspired visual assets.
- Our Māori Community wanting to celebrate, reclaim, and share their culture in contemporary formats.
How It Works
Describe Your Vision
Use plain words to describe the artwork you have in mind — a landscape, a cultural story, a localized feeling, or an abstract concept.
Choose Your Style
Select from a curated library of custom art styles, including authentic Māori-inspired templates designed by practicing carvers like Eria Gray.
AI Brings It to Life
Our refined AI engine interprets your vision through the specific lens of the chosen style, generating gallery-quality artwork in seconds.
Own Your Creation
Download your design in high, print-ready resolution, save it to your personal gallery, and use it with complete confidence under your chosen license.
“Toi Whakaaro is more than a platform — it is a binding commitment to keeping the living culture of Māori art thriving for generations to come.”
Start CreatingSources & References
The cultural knowledge, structural motifs, and design principles embedded within Toi Whakaaro are drawn strictly from highly respected archives of Māori art and tradition:
Te Toi Whakairo: The Art of Maori Carving — by Sir Hirini Moko Mead
Utilized as the primary baseline authority for traditional carving principles, chevron motifs, and correct cultural contexts.
Additional Tribal Sources
Lineages of traditional Māori art schools, iwi-specific design histories, and contemporary lived interpretations by practicing carvers.