In this powerful excerpt from Mana by Tāme Iti, the artist and activist reflects on his early encounters with Colin McCahon’s work, the symbolic power of the Urewera Mural, and the political motivations behind its 1997 disappearance. Blending art, protest, and identity, Iti reveals a deeply personal story about whenua, justice, and the struggle for Tūhoe sovereignty.
BOOKS
Tāme Iti: The taking of the Colin McCahon painting
Mana, Tāme Iti, is a gripping and revealing memoir by one of Aotearoa’s most fearless activists and artists. In the chapter Into the Mist, Tāme recalls of meeting one of Aotearoa’s most celebrated artists, Colin McCahon, and the political motivation behind taking “that” painting.
16th October 2025In the early days of learning about art and figuring out my own style, I travelled to as many galleries as I could, seeing as much work as I could, on my journey of self-education. One name kept coming up, a person whose work I saw everywhere and noticed: Colin McCahon.