Reweti Arapere

Name
Reweti Arapere
Iwi/Ethnicity
Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga/Ngāti Raukawa/Māori
Ngāti Porou/Māori
Ngāti Tūwharetoa/Māori
Date of birth
1984
Place of birth
Tauranga/Bay of Plenty (region)/New Zealand
Gender
Male
Biography
Reweti Arapere studied at Massey University’s Toioho ki Āpiti, graduating with a Master of Māori Visual Arts in 2009. He works primarily in illustration, painting, sculpture and installation, his practice bringing together traditional Māori narratives and artistic practices with contemporary materials and forms.

A commitment to te reo Māori underpins these associations, grounding his interpretation of whakairo (carving) and figurative symbols. Bridging modern, customary and mythical histories, Arapere’s illustrated figures demonstrate how these narratives continue to guide Māori cultural identity.