Steven Hikaiti

Steven Hikaiti’s art is turning his past life and way of thinking into a story of victory instead of self-condemnation. His drawings are made to inspire people - that we are all creative and our failures are not the end of our story. In 1989, while incarcerated, Steven had an experience that paralyzed him for 4 hours. He saw a face appear with full Moko which came down to give him a hongi (representing acceptance, bonding, and the gift of the breath of life).

Steven experienced a long period of illness and during this time he constantly saw the vision. The visions went on for 10 years until Steven decided to try and draw what he saw, this process of drawing his vision became a form of occupational therapy. Steven applied this therapy over the years following his revelation, the drawings became his salvation, freeing him from mental health concerns, endless medication, and incarceration. 

Steven has since embarked on a new stage in his life, studying Mental Health, leading peer support training, and exploring the difference between clinical training and lived experiences. Steven sees his experiences as his victory. His creative side is more than just a talent, it is “gifted to me by wairua through a kiss - to be passed to others through my artwork”. We are excited to have this talented artist on board and share his exceptional pointillism with you.