Latest news with #Tūwharetoa
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Te Tangi a Te Tūī: Māori circus show comes to Whangārei, Kerikeri
While Gordon's career led her to high-end circus, Tukiwaho (Te Arawa, Tūhoe and Tūwharetoa) continued to become an experienced theatre maker, teaming with a driving force in Māori theatre Amber Curreen (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Roroa) to create Te Pou Theatre. Te Tangi a Te Tūī is performed solely in te reo Māori and has received rave reviews internationally and in Aotearoa. Photo / David Cooper But the recollection of a teenage discussion with Gordon's mum was the catalyst for reuniting to co-write their latest show. 'Eve's mum commented that, 'No one's ever heard the song of the real tūī before. The original song before humans arrived has never been heard by a human', and I thought that was just amazing. 'After that comment, we just let that idea gestate in our minds for over 20 years and, meanwhile, I'd met Amber and, around five years ago, we sat down together and discussed this idea of the tūī.' Teaming with Gordon was their first collaboration with circus and, in association with Performing Arts Network of New Zealand (PANNZ), Te Tangi a Te Tūī was born. The story centres around a family curse. Two magical beings lay claim to the first-born son in this bloodline, played by Tukiwaho's son Paku, 19. It is up to the boy to decide which entity he appeases. The entities have the opportunity to tell the boy their story and once the boy hears their stories, he can choose. The story fuses kapa haka, acrobatics and breath-taking aerial artistry to tell a story of reclamation, remembrance and return. Intertwined throughout is the tūī, who soaks up the world around and responds in song. Though beautiful, its tune is now a faint echo of what it once was when Aotearoa was blanketed in the ngāhere (forest). Te Tangi a Te Tūī is a powerful theatrical experience and unfolds as an evocative meditation on identity and resilience, in the face of colonisation. Photo / David Cooper 'Te Tangi a Te Tūī is about our collective remembering,' says Tukiwaho, who has a reputation for fearless storytelling and uplifting Māori voices and received the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award in 2023. 'It's about reclaiming language, whakapapa and the stories that have been waiting patiently for us to return to them. And we're doing it in a way that celebrates Māori innovation, power and wairua.' Te Tangi a Te Tūī is a powerful theatrical experience and unfolds as an evocative meditation on identity and resilience, in the face of colonisation. The 1.45-hour show features a cast of about 10 including Tukiwaho and two of his sons – Paku and Te Rongopai, 13, and their mother. Performed entirely in te reo Māori, the production surrounds audiences with the richness of the language and its cultural resonance. Those who are fluent or on their te reo Māori journey will enjoy the full immersion experience. Those with limited knowledge of te reo Māori and wishing to engage more deeply will be provided with a full English-language synopsis and radio play upon booking. This ensures the work remains accessible to all, allowing audiences to connect with the performance at whatever level suits them. 'I was insistent the English language would not be present in the show,' explains Tukiwaho, adding that a link to the radio play is sent when tickets are purchased with an even mix of people choosing to listen to it either before or after the show. The story centres around a family curse and two magical beings lay claim to the first-born son in this bloodline. Photo / Ralph Brown It was instrumental for their international premiere in Vancouver two years ago, which was received 'amazingly' by the audience with one review describing the power of te reo Māori and circus together as breath-taking. 'It was just an amazing experience with a lot of indigenous people who came along to the show,' he recalls, adding that the international audience were more impressed with the cultural context, whereas their subsequent Kiwi audience, more impressed with the circus. 'Overseas the cultural context and the language was exciting for them but that's because our audience here are lucky they get to experience it often whereas, in Canada, it was a novelty. 'I did notice our performers were far more nervous about performing at home. For one thing, our audience can know what we're saying.' The impact of the play inspired Gordon to enrol to learn te reo. She said the circus acts are used to enhance the narrative. 'If we create the show in a way where people who don't understand the language can understand the narrative, then they can just be immersed in the beautiful waiata that is the reo.' Tainui Tukiwaho, pictured, and Amber Curreen, both co-founders of Te Pou Theatre, teamed with Dust Palace's co-founder and lead circus performer Eve Gordon to bring this show about. Photo / Philip Merry Dust Palace producer Rachael Dubois adds: 'This work lives at the intersection of everything we love – high-calibre physical performance, kaupapa Māori storytelling, and deep collaboration. It's an incredibly special show, and audiences who see it are going to be moved, challenged, and inspired'. After its international premiere in Vancouver in 2023 and an acclaimed Aotearoa season at Te Pou Theatre during Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki/Auckland Arts Festival the following year, Te Tangi a Te Tūī is traveling to five North Island centres, including Tauranga, Rotorua, Taranaki, Whangārei and Kerikeri. 'We love going up north every year,' says Tukiwaho. 'Northland is from my cultural context as it has a huge population of Māori. 'Our people receive it in the way that we intend it to be received because they understand it in the context in the way we're applying it. Our whānau up north open-heartedly respond.' Tukiwaho said the tūī is more of an allegory for the Māori language and how the loss of the tūī's voice is similar to the journey of the Māori language. 'The tūī can no longer remember what their original voice was... our people were dangerously close to that as well. And that's why we're using the tūī in this particular way to show that. That's the journey that our people could have gone on.' Te Tangi a Te Tūī will be at Whangārei Forum North, Tuesday, August 19 and Kerikeri Turner Centre, Friday, August 22 - Saturday, August 23. Visit for booking details.
Scoop
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Council Defers Joint Management Agreement With Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board
Nō te wai te mauriora, water is the wellspring of life. Taupō District councillors met today to consider whether or not to adopt a joint management agreement with the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board. The joint management agreement (JMA) is required by law and brings together Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board, representing the district's largest landowner and iwi, and Taupō District Council to ma nage, protect and restore the health and wellbeing of the Upper Waikato River for future generations. It covers a range of mandatory matters but at the request of Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board, was extended to cover Lake Taupō and its tributaries. At today's meeting councillors decided to defer consideration of the draft agreement until after the local government elections, which will be held on Saturday 11 October. Councillors felt that more time was needed to fully consider the draft agreement and make a robust decision. While a formal consultation process was not part of the resolution, people are encouraged to read the draft agreement and the FAQs along with the other information available on the Taupō District Council website and contact their elected members if they want to discuss the JMA further. The draft joint management agreement is focused on fostering relationships and agreeing ways for the council and the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board to work together better to achieve the JMA vision of protecting and restoring the waterways. Taupō District Mayor David Trewavas says despite the JMA being mandatory under the Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Raukawa and Te Arawa River Iwi Waikato River Act 2010, the feeling of the council was that it was too close to the election to make a decision on whether to adopt it. However, he also felt there had been widespread community misunderstanding about what the JMA actually involved, with claims that it was more wide-reaching than it actually is. 'We can't protect the Waikato River without also protecting its source, Lake Taupō. That's what this agreement is about – working together to look after these taonga of our district,' says Mr Trewavas. 'It's important to note that under this draft JMA, councillors will continue to make all decisions on work programmes and budgets. The agreement simply asks council staff and trust board staff to work together when it comes to activities that will have a direct effect on waterways. Early iwi engagement on projects like council infrastructure will strengthen council's work, building support and avoiding issues before they arise. 'Council has worked collaboratively with its iwi partners for many years and recognising and acknowledging Māori values when making council decisions is not co-governance, it is about good decision-making.' Following today's meeting council consideration of the JMA will be deferred until as soon as practicable in the next council term.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Punarua Exhibition Arrives At Taupō Museum
Press Release – Taupo District Council Punarua offers a moment of celebration and reflection during Matariki. The exhibition shares not just the piupiu, but the journey to create it, with an accompanying documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes, from the first threads to its international … Punarua: Weaving work honours legacy of Tūwharetoa knowledge holders Taupō Museum is set to unveil Punarua, possibly the largest piupiu ever created, in its Aotearoa debut following a standout international premiere at the prestigious 2024 Biennale of Sydney. Commissioned especially for the Biennale, Punarua was designed and led by Hone Bailey, a member of the local weaving collective Te Whā ā Huna, which also includes Paehoro Konui, Meraania Heke Chase-Perich, and Manu Fox. The piece pays tribute to the late Koro Te Kanawa Pitiroi, a respected leader of Ngāti Tūwharetoa and tireless advocate for the preservation of iwi knowledge. Hone Bailey, recognised online for sharing insights into te ao Māori with a large and loyal following, is an integral part of Te Whā ā Huna. Punarua is very much the work of the collective, whose artistry and cultural depth shaped the taonga from its base in Tokaanu, a place known for its geothermal beauty and celestial connections, reflected in the names of its streets. The work draws inspiration from the ancestral narrative of Māui-takitaki-i-te-rā and was created using traditional weaving techniques passed down through generations. This project is not only a celebration of intergenerational storytelling but a labour of love and legacy by weavers deeply connected to the whenua. 'This taonga is a living piece,' says museum curator Piata Winitana-Murray. 'By exhibiting Punarua during Matariki and then long term in the Tūwharetoa Gallery, we honour the fact that these traditions are still very much alive – practiced, celebrated, and shared with whānau and the community.' Punarua offers a moment of celebration and reflection during Matariki. The exhibition shares not just the piupiu, but the journey to create it, with an accompanying documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes, from the first threads to its international debut. Punarua will first be exhibited in the art gallery before moving to the Tūwharetoa Gallery on long-term loan at Taupō Museum for two years. This placement reflects the wishes of the weavers to share it publicly with their whānau and community, and to remind visitors that taonga within museums are not only relics of the past, but part of ongoing traditions. Punarua opens at Taupō Museum on Saturday, June 7. There will also be an opportunity to hear all four artists discuss the creation of this unique and significant piece at 10.30am that same day. The museum is open from 10am to 4.30pm daily, with free entry for local residents. This Matariki, come and witness a taonga woven from ancestral wisdom and community pride.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Punarua Exhibition Arrives At Taupō Museum
Punarua: Weaving work honours legacy of Tūwharetoa knowledge holders Taupō Museum is set to unveil Punarua, possibly the largest piupiu ever created, in its Aotearoa debut following a standout international premiere at the prestigious 2024 Biennale of Sydney. Commissioned especially for the Biennale, Punarua was designed and led by Hone Bailey, a member of the local weaving collective Te Whā ā Huna, which also includes Paehoro Konui, Meraania Heke Chase-Perich, and Manu Fox. The piece pays tribute to the late Koro Te Kanawa Pitiroi, a respected leader of Ngāti Tūwharetoa and tireless advocate for the preservation of iwi knowledge. Hone Bailey, recognised online for sharing insights into te ao Māori with a large and loyal following, is an integral part of Te Whā ā Huna. Punarua is very much the work of the collective, whose artistry and cultural depth shaped the taonga from its base in Tokaanu, a place known for its geothermal beauty and celestial connections, reflected in the names of its streets. The work draws inspiration from the ancestral narrative of Māui-takitaki-i-te-rā and was created using traditional weaving techniques passed down through generations. This project is not only a celebration of intergenerational storytelling but a labour of love and legacy by weavers deeply connected to the whenua. 'This taonga is a living piece,' says museum curator Piata Winitana-Murray. 'By exhibiting Punarua during Matariki and then long term in the Tūwharetoa Gallery, we honour the fact that these traditions are still very much alive - practiced, celebrated, and shared with whānau and the community.' Punarua offers a moment of celebration and reflection during Matariki. The exhibition shares not just the piupiu, but the journey to create it, with an accompanying documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes, from the first threads to its international debut. Punarua will first be exhibited in the art gallery before moving to the Tūwharetoa Gallery on long-term loan at Taupō Museum for two years. This placement reflects the wishes of the weavers to share it publicly with their whānau and community, and to remind visitors that taonga within museums are not only relics of the past, but part of ongoing traditions. Punarua opens at Taupō Museum on Saturday, June 7. There will also be an opportunity to hear all four artists discuss the creation of this unique and significant piece at 10.30am that same day. The museum is open from 10am to 4.30pm daily, with free entry for local residents. This Matariki, come and witness a taonga woven from ancestral wisdom and community pride.
