Whether it’s a rousing haka on the stage of Te Matatini, a sculpture that asks a question you can’t stop thinking about, a story that captures your imagination or a song that carries your heart home, we love to be entertained.

But who are these people that make art? Are you one of them?

I know your fear. How it feels to be laughed at for singing flat, told your dance moves are uncoordinated, your words wrong. To be so overwhelmed by doubt that your painting is in the rubbish before you’ve even begun.

I know shame and fear like a glove. That’s why I’ve dedicated myself to teaching creativity in ways that celebrate our natural tendencies to make a mess of things and have to start again.

I’ve taught te reo and tikanga (Make Mistakes in Māori), English for unconfidant speakers, and courses exploring the trust in wairua that allows our tūpuna to karanga, haka and waiata through us on the marae (Toi te Kupu).

From visual art to music, creative dance, writing and drama, my kete is full with gifts to share.

The question is not “Are you creative?”

It is “What are you going to do about it?”

Humans love art.

"Makaira’s insightful, playful, empowering style of teaching has provided a safe space to allow me to be comfortable in the vulnerable.

I have found the sessions to be incredibly educational not only for affirming my minimal knowledge of te reo, but for healing my inner self to enable me to embrace my culture and proudly share it with others.

Each week I have come away feeling grounded, fulfilled, supported, enlightened and childlike, wanting to learn and experience more.

- Amie, Make Mistakes in Māori student.

I could not recommend him more highly for those who wish to discover and grow their knowledge and understanding of not only te ao Māori and all that this encompasses but more importantly – themselves."

Alebrijes!

Alebrijes sparked my beautiful love affair with México:

Seeing them up close for the first time on the street in Oaxaca in 2020 brought tears, and visiting Museo de Arte Popular to see the giant ones used in parades was a dream come true.

Their flamboyant shapes and colours are such a strong and free expression of spirit that I find irresistible, and I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them via the internet many years ago.

Now I sculpt my own versions of the art form and teach people how to make their own using symbols we design to embody the values and meanings important to us. This includes patterns from kōwhaiwhai and other forms of Māori art.

I'm still in love with alebrijes, in love with México and its people, their big hearts and generosity, honesty and manaakitanga that shows us how to live.

Sharing alebrije art is my small way of celebrating this, and helping others to discover the beauty of their own spirits through the power of art and creativity.

wild-looking fantastical creatures gorgeously decorated in vibrant colours and intricate patterns with Zapotec art motifs.

"I didn't know I would be able to create something like this. It is a reminder to keep pushing yourself and the results will come. I learned that I am creative.

It's a powerful way to build confidence in your creativity. I enjoyed the process so much and I'm also proud of what I have created throughout the sessions.

This course is for all people, no experience needed, only an open mind and willingness to step outside of your comfort zone."

- Bianca

Makaira’s thoughtful, structured and deeply therapeutic approach to facilitating creative expression offers an invaluable experience to participants.

Makaira and Tania have a unique talent for creating a healing space together. They foster a warm environment where everyone works in sync, supporting one another at the same pace while actively practicing empathy and deep inclusion. They go beyond teaching artistic techniques to create a safe, engaging and transformative environment for personal growth.

It’s like in spiritual practice when you give yourself over to God to be guided. You get peace and joy. We felt calm and relaxed, and were happily surprised by our creativity."

- Fanfei

"The beauty of the course is that no one knows what’s going to happen next and our minds are empty, we just follow Makaira’s guidance without any expectations or judgement.

That state of mind is really good for creativity and also surprise, because you don’t know what will come out of it, so you don’t have any anxiety. You are just in the moment, in flow.

"I enjoyed the company of everyone in the group and good guidance from Makaira. It felt very conducive to having fun and being open and compassionate to myself.

- Niranjan

You will leave feeling more confident and open to trying different things in the creative fields, with a sculpture to show for it, and feeling satisfied and compassionate to yourself."

"It's an excellent course for letting out your inner artist, and through this, you may learn new things about yourself.

- Tania

It's like meditation but you can see the results straight away. It helped me to remember how much I love painting and making art."

"This course will bring out your inner child and you’ll have a very good time learning sculpting techniques with other people, plus there’s some cultural background from México and tikanga Māori.

- Martí

I’m very happy to have used this time doing the course.

5 stars - 100% recommended."

- Gopika

"I wish that more people could feel the depth, fun and ease we experienced while working on our art. It's all about having fun!"

In a world that's full of stress and fear, making time and space for our inner child is both brave and powerful.

This mahi is more than just teaching & creating art. It's creating community. A community of trust, vulnerability, gentleness and kindness towards each other and ourselves.

Art isn't just making things. It is submitting our trust to something bigger, something vulnerable and easy to avoid, but something that needs our love and attention.

It is caring for and listening to wairua. Trusting in your own spirit and giving it power to guide us.

This is what the world needs. The gentle power of love.

Creative writing and speaking

"I've been doing weekly sessions with Makaira since June 2026. The sessions have helped me in many ways, but especially with creativity, mindfulness and self-confidence.

Now it's hard to tell whether he's a healer, an artist or a friend."

- Mariana

I feel that I'm going through a beautiful healing process, learning how to love and trust myself. For me, it's been a completely new way of seeing healing happen. Makaira uses his sensitivity and creativity to bring different activities each week, all of them with a healing purpose.

He has helped me pay attention, to look at things from different perspectives and improve my artistic abilities. At the same time, he has made me feel more confident and open to trying new things. Now I feel less afraid of making mistakes.

Also, since we started this work together, I've been focused on having more time to myself, developing my art and my stories, admiring nature and art, or just enjoying my own company.

"In term 3 Makaira Waugh mentored a group of nine teenagers for a seven-week workshop series on creative writing.

He delivered far above my expectations, and deeply impacted the lives of the rangatahi who took part in the course.

Makaira was able to relate to and was highly respectful toward everyone in the small but diverse group, which was made up of 12 to 19-year-olds, coming with a mixture of home languages, gender identities, education and belief systems.

The group was led through activities involving music, movement, nature, imagination, with a spirit that was magically playful and heartfelt.

It is clearly evident that hauora is at the forefront of Makaira’s practice. Even now, two months after the course, participants tell me how the seven weeks of classes with Makaira has brought hope back to their lives, helped them let go of creative blocks, and showed them how to engage with their artistic selves as part of their daily lives.

I thank Makaira from the bottom of my heart for agreeing to run this workshop series, and I sincerely hope he is supported in his journey to share this kaupapa with others in whatever form he chooses."

- Katrina Brown

Makaira was also a pleasure to work with. His communication with our team was consistently clear and proactive, making the process of organising and running the program seamless.

Sandra Keenan, Principal, Hokitika Primary School

"I am writing to highly recommend Makaira Waugh, who recently completed a six-week extension writing program at our kura. He led two small groups of tamariki each morning, and the impact he had was truly remarkable.

The feedback we received from both the tamariki and their whānau was overwhelmingly positive, and it was clear that his teaching style resonated deeply with them.

We were so impressed with Makaira's work that we would not only welcome him back to our kura but also strongly recommend him to any other school looking for a talented and dedicated educator to run similar extension groups.

Makaira's lessons were exceptionally engaging and motivating. The students were not only highly engaged throughout the program but also consistently excited and eager to participate.

He is a truly exceptional teacher."

Indigenous arts education in México

Arts education activities as tools for Indigenous language revitalisation: workshops for Ajuuk teacher trainees in Oaxaca, México 2024.

An invitation into the world of the child

In 2020 I spent my first overseas trip teaching arts activities as language revitalisation tools in Indigenous schools, preschools and universities in México: Ixcatlan, Tamasulapam and Nenaui in Oaxaca, and México City.