Telling our story
Maya Speers is a talented rangatahi with a bright future in front of her. Back in 2021, Maya, who was born and raised in Whakatū and has whakapapa links to Ngāti Koata and Ngāti Kuia as well as Rangitāne o Wairau and Te Ātiawa, designed the Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Trust tohu. At the end of last year, Maya also got the callup to create further sub-designs for Te Kotahi to support the visual identity of this all-iwi collaboration. We caught up with Maya (who is the daughter of Tom Speers and Kirstin Revell) in between lectures at Waipapa Taumata Rau (University of Auckland).
Maya Speers
Tell us about your interest in toi Māori and design. Growing up, were you one of those kids who were always drawing?
Definitely! I studied art all through college and took a course in Western art history in my first year of university. It wasn’t really until I moved away from home I took a real interest in toi Māori. There have been some really great exhibitions around the city displaying New Zealand and Māori artists’ work.
These days you are studying toward a Bachelor of Engineering at Waipapa Taumata Rau. Where do you want to go next in your career? What's the ultimate goal?
While my mahi with Revell Design does not directly relate to my studies in Auckland, it does help me maintain a balance between my passions, and keeps me creative. I am always interested in learning more and experiencing new things, and I aim to continue doing so throughout life. I know there is always more to learn on my journey in te ao Māori.
You created the initial logo for TKoTT back in 2021. How did you know where to start?
With all my work, I start out with really rough sketches, just having fun with ideas while keeping the project brief in mind. I will end up giving several concepts to Kirsten at Revell Design (ala Mum) and she helps create a few tangible designs that we can improve on. In my early designs I got some advice from Craig Shepard, to make sure that I was aware of and understood the kōrero of traditional toi Māori before applying it alongside more modern techniques. This is to ensure I’m not creating something that just ‘looks Māori’ and doesn’t have the connection and thought in it.
Tell us about the latest artwork for Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu.
We have created a kōwhaiwhai pattern that incorporates elements of traditional toi Māori, but modernised. Within the pattern are diamond-shaped pātiki (flounder), which symbolise hospitality, and eight niho taniwha. This shows the eight iwi that of Te Kotahi providing for all whānau of Te Tauihu. There are also eight paths of lines that intertwine, showing kotahitanga, within which can be seen unaunahi (fish scale) patterns. Unaunahi are traditionally a coastal Iwi pattern and represent abundance and health.
We also have a circular design, which incorporates all of the elements in the kōwhaiwhai pattern, and the eight paths of lines weave and merge like in the practise of rāranga and also in the rauponga pattern that is sometimes seen in Māori wood carving.
Who are the Māori artists you most admire, hold dear? Who's your inspiration?
One artist I have found in Tāmaki is Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho. They do amazing mahi that has been put up around the city. Other works I have found in exhibitions, that have really caught my eye are by artists Star Gossage and Zena Elliott. Kahu Kutia has done some amazing artwork using the whenua as pigments, in collaboration with Kauae Raro. I also recently been lucky enough to take part in a wānanga with Kauae Raro, which was a very special experience for me.
What do you think are the biggest influences in your work?
I actually take a lot of photos while walking about. There are so many cool and surprising designs on tiles, footwalks, and bridges around the city. Otherwise, definitely both current Māori artists and traditional toi Māori - ngā taonga tuku iho.
Quick 5
1. Town/country
2. Raumati/Hōtoke
3. Kina/pāua
4. Instagram/Tiktok
5. Te Matatini/Rhythm and Vines