E Rere Kōtare - A Textile Wananga

E Rere Kōtare is a week-long wananga designed to uplift the self-esteem, confidence, and mana of textile artists  in our community.

Healing starts at home. When you uplift the wahine, you strengthen the community. Our small community deserves moments of joy, creativity, and connection. E Rere Kōtare will bring women together to share skills, creativity, and stories while celebrating the beauty, strength, and talents of local wahine.

Through workshops, talks, creativity, and a joyful community celebration, E Rere Kōtare aims to remind women that everyone has value, beauty, and something powerful to share.

The Kotare Crew is a collective of textile artists brought together through a shared passion for creativity, connection, and storytelling through fabric. Formed during a wānanga in Māhia in February 2026, the group — Sasha Wilson-Bryers, Tiffany Watkins, Tersha Lee Perry, and Anita Wilson — quickly discovered a natural synergy in both their artistic practices and their values.

Each member brings a unique perspective and skillset, weaving together diverse techniques, cultural influences, and personal narratives into their work. United by a commitment to growth, collaboration, and uplifting one another, the Kotare Crew creates pieces that reflect both individual expression and collective strength.

Grounded in the experience that first connected them, their mahi continues to evolve as they explore textile art as a powerful medium for identity, community, and storytelling.

To support the ongoing development of our artistic practice and strengthen our collective, the Kotare Crew is seeking to raise $6,000 to deliver a week-long textile wānanga. 

These funds will contribute to key costs including:

• Accommodation and catering for participants ($2,000)
• Art materials and equipment essential to the learning and creation process ($1,500)
• Fees for experienced tutors and guest practitioners to share their knowledge ($1,500)
• Travel and transportation of materials ($1,000). This investment will enable the collective to fully engage in focused learning, research, and creative development, while further strengthening our connection to community, culture, and textile-based storytelling.  

Throughout the week, local wahine will share short talks about their passion projects, skills, and personal journeys, inspiring others in the community.

Creative Workshops

Participants will take part in uplifting, hands-on workshops such as:

Crown Making – Did you know how beautiful you are?

Pimp My Coat – creative clothing transformation

Shibori Fabric Dyeing

Silk Screen Printing

Sewing & Upcycling Workshops

These workshops will focus on creativity, self-expression, and transforming everyday clothing into wearable art.

There will be a community photo exhibition at the end of the wananga, where the wider community will have photos taken wearing handmade crowns, seated on a custom-made throne, wearing a spectacular outfit that they would have made during the week.

Wahine from the community are invited to join in this workshop and photoshoot. These photographs will become a community exhibition at Te Pu O Te Wheke Art Gallery in Kaikohe, celebrating local women and their stories.

The proposed wānanga will have a meaningful impact on both the participating artists and the wider community. For members of the Kotare Crew, it will provide dedicated time and space to deepen technical skills, explore new approaches within textile practice, and strengthen cultural knowledge and identity through collaborative learning. The wānanga will also foster sustainable creative practices by building confidence, leadership, and the capacity to share knowledge with others. Beyond the collective, the outcomes of this wānanga will extend into the community through future workshops, exhibitions, and informal knowledge-sharing, ensuring that the skills, inspiration, and mātauranga gained are passed on. This initiative supports the growth of a connected, resilient creative community grounded in collaboration, cultural expression, and ongoing artistic development.