Mary Ama

Mary Tupai Ama CNZM is a Cook Islands-New Zealand artist and community arts organiser.[1]

Ama in 2017

Biography

Ama was born in Vaka Takitumu in the Cook Islands, and has Cook Island Maori, Samoan and English heritage.[2] Her mother died when Ama was young and her father remarried, and Ama was raised by her grandparents.[3]

Ama founded Pacifica Mamas, a community arts collective based in Auckland, New Zealand, in the late 1980s.[4] The collective designs and delivers Pacific-based arts and cultural programmes in schools and the community both in New Zealand and overseas in the Cook Islands, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and the United States. Ama also developed a programme for Pacific prison inmates, which she has delivered at Spring Hill Correction Facility near Huntly for more than ten years.[5][6]

She has delivered other Pacific arts, culture and community projects for Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Council, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, and ASB Polyfest.[1]

Recognition

In 2012, the collective won the Creative NZ Pacific Heritage Arts Award.[4] In 2015, Ama and the Pacifica Mamas won the Arts Access Corrections Community Award for their work at Spring Hill.[5] In the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, Ama was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the arts and the Pacific community.[1]

References
  1. "Ms Mary Ama, of Auckland, CNZM for services to the arts and the Pacific community | The Governor-General of New Zealand". gg.govt.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  2. "Ama, Mary". findnzartists.org.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  3. Dann, Jennifer (11 November 2015). "12 Questions: Mary Ama". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  4. "Turou - The call from our ancestors, the call to return home | Corban Estate Arts Centre". ceac.org.nz. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  5. Flightdec. "Mary Ama and the Pacifica Mamas on TVNZ". Arts Access Aotearoa. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  6. Flightdec. "Mary Ama and the Pacifica Mamas recognised for their longstanding work with prisoners". Arts Access Aotearoa. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
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