The name 'Whareatua' is the Maori name given to our native white mushrooms. Often found growing wild throughoutAotearoa/New Zealand, and used for kai/food, their name suggests another use... Translated as the 'home of gods',could Whareatua in fact be a reference to the home of the Patupaiarehe, the spirit people often referred to in ourancient Maori folk lore?

ARTIST BIO

Known for his attention to detail and fine application of tools and technology, Jamie Boynton actively draws upon his indigenous Māori culture as a foundation for creativity and innovation. James bachelor degree was in ‘Visual Communications & Design’ (1995) at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city. Jamie has since received many awards from a career that spans nearly thirty years, and is regarded as one of New Zealand’s leading contemporary Māori artists.

“He Toi Whakairo, He Mana Tangata” - Where there’s artistic excellence, there is human dignity.

Jamie lives in his tribal homelands of Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea, and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, of the Eastern Bay of Plenty. He teaches art and design part-time with local schools, while actively promoting a strong social, cultural, and environmental conscience. As a freelance artist and designer, he combines skills in fine art and advertising to build authentic Kiwi brands. He’s worked with local councils, as well as some of New Zealand’s largest architecture firms and advertising agencies, weaving cultural values to create a collective vision. His desire is to utilise his unique skill-set to re-ignite the wisdom of our ancestors in a way that inspires future generations - ‘Visioning for a better world’.