Tongan student’s art shines at Te Papa’s Ringa Toi showcase

A young Tongan artist is showcasing his culture on the national stage through his work at this year’s Ringa Toi student art exhibition in Wellington.

Ringa Toi is an annual exhibition that highlights the artwork of secondary school students, focusing on Toi Māori and Pacific Arts at an excellence level. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the exhibition, which runs from 15 to 28 September 2025 at Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand.

The exhibition includes a range of Māori art forms across seven categories, from weaving and carving to painting, printmaking, photography, and digital art. It also features Kaupapa Pasifika, a category that celebrates Pasifika artwork.

The event is recognised for strengthening student engagement, achievement, and school retention, as well as for advancing the use of mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and Pacific knowledge to accelerate the success of Māori and Pacific learners.

Among the featured artists was Patrick Lemeki, a Year 12 student at Rosmini College, who submitted two pieces titled Sei o Fafine and Together We Stand.

Speaking with John Pulu on PMN Tonga, Lemeki says Sei o Fafine shares his rich Tongan culture, displaying its beauty through cultural patterns and culminating in a “tribute to the women in my life”.

Patrick Lemeki’s work, “Sei o Fafine”. Photo/Rosmini College

“My second piece, Together We Stand, I wanted to reignite and support the space and community between Māori and Pasifika. And show that as Tongans especially, that we're very similar to Māori in our indigeneity,” he says.

Sei o Fafine caught the attention of Michael Tuffrey, a well-known artist and judge for the Pasifika Excellence category, while Together We Stand received a Commended award in the Te Moana Nui a Kiwa Measina Pacific Art Excellence category.

Lemeki’s artwork aimed to capture “a significant moment in contemporary New Zealand history that united people of all walks of life”. He wrote that “the land is what connects us to our ancestors and solidifies our cultural identity as Tongans. The land is us, and we are the land”.

Watch Patrick Lemeki’s full interview below.

Lemeki explained that the composition is centred on Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke and pays tribute to “the dedication and mana she exudes when she advocates and fights for her people”.

Last year Maipi-Clarke performed a haka in Parliament, a protest against the controversial Treaty Principles Bill, which went viral and made headlines around the world. Lemeki says the hardest part in creating his artworks was formulating their themes and concepts.

He developed Sei o Fafine over the past year, while Together We Stand was conceived earlier this year. Lemeki says each piece took roughly a week or two to complete, adding that it felt “really cool” to have his work displayed at Te Papa.

“I'm grateful that I do get to share how rich our culture actually is, and that I get to display, not just for palangi [white person], but also for people in my generation. Growing up in New Zealand, sometimes it kind of is hard to learn about the culture.”

Lemeki attended the exhibition with his parents, sister, and grandmother. He found inspiration in being surrounded by other young Māori and Pasifika artists, saying, “We don't usually have the platform to engage and see each other's arts”.

Looking ahead, Lemeki is considering studying either architecture or fine arts, saying he will carry his Tongan culture with him along the way.