Winning poster reflects whakapapa and generations

E Tu Whanau poster comp

Gisborne woman Ngatoia Skipper-Whaanga Pincott’s poster with the theme of whakapapa has won first prize in the E Tu Whanau poster competition.

“I felt a huge excitement when I won.

The support I got from everyone blew me away and I want to thank my husband Nicholas for encouraging me to enter,” said Ms Pincott.

“The week before voting started, I started drawing.

“I had a vision of my picture before I even started and was happy to see it on paper.”

The artwork is a depiction of Ranginui and Papatuanuku as they look over their pepi, and is done with watercolour pencils.

“I immediately envisioned a kuia standing behind a mama with a newborn on Papatuanuku, but as I kept thinking about a concept, I realised there needed to be a tane as well, so I ended up with the concept of our tipuna looking over the next generations.”

“The theme is how we whakapapa back to the land through our ancestors.

I also added in Rangi, Papa and Io to acknowledge them and how I, as a Maori, whakapapa back to them.”

This is the first time the competition has been held. The creativity and individual take on three of the E Tu Whanau values has been outstanding, says judge Kura Te Waru-Rewiri.

The values are aroha — giving with no expectation of return; mana manaaki — building the mana of others through nurturing, growing and challenging; and whakapapa — knowing who you are and where you belong.

“It has been wonderful and a privilege to view these works. There is definite talent in all of the entrants and they are all to be commended for entering the competition.”

Ms Pincott received more than 700 votes and has won $1500 for her entry.

She moved back to Gisborne with her family at the start of the year and is working as a resource developer for Mauria te Pono Trust.

Winning entries will be used to create posters and other resources to help share the E Tu Whanau kaupapa, a Maori initiative to create positive change.

The competition was run in partnership with Maori Radio and the Maori Media Network and all entries can be viewed in the poster competition gallery on the E Tu Whanau Facebook page.