An official mayoral painting of Kawerau Mayor Faylene Tunui has been revealed via social media.
Papamoa-based contemporary artist Mr G Hoete recently posted a video and photo of himself walking into the Kawerau District Council chambers to present the painting to Tunui in person.
He said he had been honoured to be approached to paint the mayoral portrait for the mayor of his old hometown.
“Was an honour to meet her again to present the portrait to her in person, had a good catch up and kōrero, she is extremely humble, and passionately serves her hapori and people.”
He noted that she was Kawerau’s first mayor from local iwi Ngāti Tuwharetōa and thanked her for her service with the words, “e mihi kau atu ana ki a koe e te Rangatira”.
The video was shown to a recording of Nikau Grace singing her waiata Toku Tuakiri.
The young singer-songwriter wrote the waiata at the age of 15 as a way to express her Māori identity.
The mayor’s office has paintings of all five former mayors, Clive Boyce 1959-65, Roy Stoneham 1965-83, Ron Hardie 1983-86, Lyn Hartly 1986-2001 and Malcolm Campbell 2001-2022.
It also has a painting of Frank Prideaux, who was the appointed town commissioner from 1954, when Kawerau first became a borough, and 1959.
The council released a statement saying it was looking forward to the karakia and unveiling of Tunui’s portrait by the council’s iwi liaison and cultural adviser Te Haukakawa Te Rire in accordance with tikanga.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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