Te Wharekura o Mauao
Region: Bay of Plenty / Waiariki
Art form: Multi-Disciplinary / Theatre
Project name: Takitimu
Project information: The project will consist of a full production of Over My Dead Body: WITH THESE HANDS. The influence, mana and power that our ancestors still carry is the driving force of the work – encouraging us to let go of our fear, grab hold of the future, but always remember where we came from. Featuring text in English and Te Reo Māori, spoken word poetry, contemporary dance, hip-hop, Pasifika siva and haka; and the music of Ria Hall, Maisey Rika and other contemporary Aotearoa artists.
Students will research ‘ghosts’ of Tauranga Moana and recreate their stories with a legitimate indigenous lens through a series of devising wānanga and rehearsals. Blending fact with fiction, humour, pathos and truth, some of these stories include the effects on our communities during the Māori land wars (Pukehinahina and Te Ranga), WW1, the voyage of Takitimu to Aotearoa, Black Lives Matter, and the COVID-19 Rāhui (in particular climate change issues pertinent to Tauranga Moana).
Project starting: March 2021
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