Māori arts symposium coming to Rotorua

New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts general manager Eraia Kiel. Photo / Supplied

Knowledge from some of Te Arawa's top artists will be on offer next week at a community Māori arts symposium.

New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts (NZMACI) Institute is hosting the NZMACI Traditional Arts Symposium from September 16 to 19 at Te Puia in Rotorua.

The event is part of the Aronui Indigenous Arts Festival and locals and visitors alike are encouraged to come along and learn more about Māori history and traditional artforms.

NZMACI general manager Eraia Kiel said as New Zealand's largest cultural tourism operation, it made sense for NZMACI to partner with the festival.

"NZMACI is a guardian of Māori culture, and has a strong national and international focus on bringing our culture to the forefront. The symposium will encompass several artforms and facilitate diverse panel discussions."

Kiel says the week-long symposium may be an eye-opener for some people.

"The world is awakening to indigenous knowledge, which is hidden in the arts and Māori culture, and we want to share some of this mātauranga (knowledge) with people," he says.

A weaving event open to the public will be held at the Te Puia Weaving School from Monday through to Wednesday from 10am to 2pm.

A workshop on the range of Māori artforms will be held Tuesday through to Thursday at the Te Aronui a Rua Meeting House at Te Puia from 1pm to 3pm.

A range of toi Māori artists will be part of a panel discussion moderated by Mercia Yates.