MamaSez

Sarah aka MamaSez (1986) whakapapa back to the Bicol, Ilocano and Pasig regions of the Philippines. She was born in Manila and later moved to the east coast of Āotearoa (New Zealand) with her mother in 1991, whāngai (adopted) to her Kane whānau (family) at the age of 5  to Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine of Nūhaka and Māhia.

 

Purpose

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"Te Āo Māori has been my predominant influence and is the bridge between my whenua (land) in the Philippines and Āotearoa. I had no knowledge or experience of Indigenous Filipino culture until adulthood when I was in the midst of study at art school and conceived my first born. My diverse background and desire to explore who I am, who I want to be and how to utilise these as a being of service and the legacy I contribute towards future generations including my children has opened gate ways into tracing back to my indigenous culture, whakapapa (ancestral lines).

 

"When I pursue what is tika (right) in the heart with strong tikanga (values and integrity), I am always  served confidence and authenticity. Having a solid sense of identity is  the fundamentals of personal and professional growth and development. This is the heart of my business, my purpose."

 

Ko Te Pito - In the Beginning 

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Sarah's profession in her creative journey is her dream unfolding since she was a little girl. She has always wanted to be a creative. After graduating Gisborne Girls High School at the age of 17, Sarah continued onto study at Toihoukura and completed a BA in Contemporary Māori Art and Design. 2016 marks the debut of MamaSez. Sarah soon  up-skilled as a contemporary Māori tattoo and tatak (Filipino tattoo) practitioner, mostly self-taught with the help of co-artists through wānanga based learning. Sarah's life connections and her passion for indigenous art infuse together and has carved the path way to where her work is today. renowned for her radical mix medium paintings and geometric tattoo work, Sarah has come full circle,  after 5 years of practicing as a tattoo artist, soon found her niche in a saturated art space and has now been 11 years in her becoming.

 

Today  her work is distinctive and recognisable through the delicate, fine details of floating geometric shapes and forms of woven Filipino and Māori designs, predominantly of black work and grey shade . Sarah is passionate about developing her skill and knowledge around the revival of indigenous cultural traditions and sharing this with her whānau and communities. Sarah also works under the umbrella of a Māori organisation Ngati Porou Oranga, guided by Mahi A Atua within the whare (house) of Te Hiringa Matua in her role as a Mataora. Here, Sarah is a creative utilising her pūkenga (skills) and indigenous pūrākau (story telling) to wānanga with whānau overcoming mental health and addictions.

 

Sarah's mix medium works reflect the divine feminine element often featuring deities and their stories of creation within all realms, space and time. Sarah is inspired by ancient stories, rituals and art forms, the way they connect us to the taiao (nature), wairua (spirit) and how we connect to them.

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Immersing herself into like minded communities she feels hold great value within her personal and professional growth. She loves getting herself amongst as many kaupapa as her time will let her. A co-founder of Wā Hine, a collaborative group of Māori wāhine (women) artists with a purpose to uplift and empower women through sharing art, personal and political views. She is also a member of Tatak Ng Apat Na Alon (Mark of the Four Waves) Filipino tattoo revival tribe based in LA.

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Wandering Earth

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Sarah guest spots as a tattoo artist often around Āotearoa, with an overseas trip at least once a year. She is a woman on a mission forever aspiring towards a rounded life where she strives to balance her roles as a māmā and business woman. Sarah adopted the hashtag #aspiretoinspire at the beginning of her business venture with the intention to inspire others by simply living her truth and fulfilling her aspirations in life.  

 

Health is Wealth

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Sarah considers herself highly fortunate to have been raised within a tight and rural community, rich in culture where the taiao was her playground and the simple self sustainable lifestyle instilled in her core values that transfer onto her children and  her business as an exercise and health professional. These values stem from Te Whare Tapa Whā model, the four important dimensions needed to sustain overall health and well being. 

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"People are generous with their compliments on how good I 'look'. My response comes from a knowing that when you take great care of te whare wānanga (the entirety of your very being), holistic health has a depth that is intangible. The aesthetics is the cherry on the top."

 

Sarah has spent years in the gym environment, group fitness and has a life long passion for dance. 2015 was the beginning or her juourney within the body building world.

 

2015 East Coast NABBA Body Building Ms Fitness Model 3rd place.

2019 East Coast NABBA Body Building Novice physique Womens Short 1st place.  

2019NABBA NZ Nationals Novice physique Womens Short 2nd place.

2020 NABBA NZ Nationals Miss Novice Physique Short and Best Female Poser/Routine.

2021 Hawkes Bay NABBA Miss Physique Short Open 1st place and Best Female Poser/Routine.

2021 Lower North Island Miss Physique Short Open 1st place. 

2021 NABBA NZ Nationals Miss Physique Short Open 1st place.

2022 East Coast NABBA Body Building Overall Ms East Coast Physique Title.

2022 NABBA NZ Nationals Physique Short Womens Open 1st place.

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Sarah is currently in recovery from body building prep and competitions. Whilst she continues to strive towards her personal health and body composition goals, she is directing her focus toward helping her clientele at Anytime Fitness Gisborne Gym achieve theirs too!

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Evolution

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You will often find Sarah at workshops, wānanga (educational learning), conventions or at a campus working on expanding her horizon. She has completed a handful of wānanga based study in various art forms such as weaving, glass art and te reo Māori. Sarah has also immersed herself in studies with holistic health and medicine, maara kai (growing food from a garden).

 

 

'Sharing time, skill, knowledge and being of service to others is creating connections through my work. It is indispensable. This is the most valuable contribution that I could ever offer. It gives me a sense of fulfilment that is deeper than just working for a dollar. It's not work to me, it's my passion, it's my happiness, it's my purpose, I couldn't imagine doing anything else."

 

 

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