Clifford Hamilton Whiting ONZ (6 May 1936 – 16 July 2017) was a New Zealand artist, teacher and advocate for Māori heritage.

His teacher training coincided with the Department of Education's drive to develop Māori and Western European culture in schools.

Constrained by the price and lack of availability of traditional timbers and tools he explored and encouraged the use of modern materials, especially particle and hard boards, and bold colours.

He was encouraged in this by Pineamine Taiapa, a renowned, traditionally trained carver and a relation of Whiting's on his mother's side of the family.

Whiting felt that it was his role to establish and maintain a close connection between the trust and those iwi (tribes) participating in the various projects.

In the same year Whiting helped curate Te Waka Toi: Contemporary Māori Art from New Zealand[12] which toured five US venues.

[15] The marae complex is situated on the fourth floor of the museum and was completed for the new building's opening with a dawn ceremony and pōwhiri on 14 February 1998.

This marae complex was named in remembrance of the bus that travelled throughout New Zealand during World War I, receiving donations for soldiers.

Named Tahu Pōtiki, this wharenui also featured the bold colours and rich carvings expected from Whiting's work.

[22] He also received the Alan Highet Award for excellence in the arts in 1986 and was granted honorary life membership of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in 2004.