New portrait on the Memorial Wall

Aaron Tokona died on 20 June 2020 of a heart attack. His heritage was Ngai Te Rangi and Ngati Maniapoto and his grandparents had a strong influence in his development, assisting him to become a successful musician and the frontman for bands including Weta and Fly My Pretties. He also lived with Bipolar Disorder, and made himself available to others, especially those struggling to come to terms with having the illness. 

Statistics suggest that those with Bipolar Disorder on average lose 20 years of life, as a result of many factors. One is that the medications which are used can cause the metabolic syndrome, resulting in diabetes and heart disease. That is something we must manage better, because 45 is too young to die.

A couple of years ago I made contact with the artist, and told him of my posting photos of his work, and he was chuffed and happy to know that people in other countries enjoy his street art.