Pure energy kōrero about this year’s National Māori Theatre Hui with Jessica Latton and Katrina Chandra, two of the team who led the steering rōpū.

The bi-annual hui is a dynamic, inclusive and inspirational event for Māori theatre practitioners, directors, designers, producers, writers, performers and educators from around Aotearoa, initiated in 2015 by the late Nancy Brunning. The hui has passed from city to city with a break in 2017.

Along with Matua John Broughton, Fran Kewene and Julie Edwards, Jessica (Ake Ake Theatre Company) and Katrina brought together the 26-29 November event at Puketeraki Marae, Te Wai Pounamu.

Jessica says, “Firstly, huge thanks to our sponsors: Dunedin City Council, Otago Community Trust, Te Puni Kokiri and Ngāi Tahu Fund. It was crucial to have our local funders so staunchly behind us, especially in this year.

“Kā mihi nui ki to mana o Kāti Huirapa o Puketeraki and in particular Suzanne Ellison for her guidance and support as we developed the 2020 programme”.

“Special thanks to the key partners with members including Taki Rua Theatre Company, Toi Whakaari, Atamira Dance Company, Te Rehia Theatre Company, Te Tai Rāwhiti Festival and Tawata Productions and Te Wanaka o Ōtākou. We are also grateful for the support of Rhys Latton, Taungaroa Emile and the Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust.

Katrina reflects, “It takes two years of mahi to gather all the resources and create a programme. We were so focused on bringing our peers together from all over Aotearoa. This is the first time we have had this hui in Ōtepoti”.

It was a massive undertaking with both Jessica and Katrina contributing over 300 volunteer hours each.

Ninety people came together as presenters and participants including established and emerging playwrights, producers, educators, actors, costume makers, designers, dramaturgs, publicists and rangatahi – a feast of skills, fun and expertise.

Jessica says “Our kaupapa for the hui in 2020 was ‘Activating Space’. Theatre is not entertainment, it is pure energy, that can activate communities, people and the whenua. It doesn’t belong inside theatres, it belongs everywhere, to everyone.

“We were not interested in discussing the industry or fitting into other’s boxes, but coming into the deep energetic heart of our practice. We found this in devising work initiated by Matua John Broughton and by our guest tohunga and presenters. The potency, talent and light we have together as Māori Theatre practitioners is breath-taking, and we need more opportunities to work together like this.”

The 2020 hui focused on:

• Whakapapa – realising the connections that we all share, and bringing our stories to the stage
• Tikanga Māori – which pervades everything that we do
• Te Reo Māori – on the theatre stage, and fluently spoken by so many at the hui.
• Mahi Toi – Māori creativity for the theatre stage
• Whakawhanaungatanga o te rohe – community engagement and participation
• Rangatahi tautoko – supporting our rangatahi to engage with Māori theatre.

The programme was anchored in Hauora - working from a state of ease and expansiveness. The keynote was led by composer and researcher Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, and leading carvers and performers of Karetao / Taonga Pūoro, (traditional puppets and instruments) James Webster and Hinemoa Jones. Charles Royal is the lead activator in the re-emerging Whare Tapere, the pre-European entertainment “houses”. Charles and his team in Hauraki will be hosting the next NMTH 2022.

Wanaka were led by Juanita Hepi, expounding her thesis into Ngāi Tahu mana wāhine in theatre, also by local leading costume designers Metiria Turei and Amber Bridgman. There was special acknowledgment of our kaumatua to Olly Ohlson for creating the space for te reo and Māori presenters on TV, and for inspiring a generation of rangatira every day after school. Professor John Broughton, whose plays influenced a generation in the late 80’s and early 90’s, was also warmly acknowledged for his mahi that continue to engage and influence new audiences and practitioners.

Jessica adds, “Puketeraki Marae was a haven of creativity and mana motuhake, for us to be deeply nourished by each other as Māori Theatre makers. Four days of immersion in the mauri of what we all do best. It was the centre of the planet that weekend and the layers of connections there will go far into the future. Hui like these are life changing for all generations of artists.

“As one of our leaders Tamati Patuwai of Mad Ave Productions in Auckland noted – ‘I have been to all the NMTH, and to see where we are now, the mastery emerging in te reo, the quality of tikanga, the amount of young ones here and the positivity we are working with at this hui, I tell you, we’ve come a long way’.

“We are so energised and inspired for the future of theatre in Aotearoa.”

Feedback from those attending the Hui included this from a very moved participant:

“I have been struggling since the hui to find words that accurately articulate my experience of it. A lot of people have asked how it was and all I’ve been able to muster is “amazing”, “awesome”, and so on - but that doesn’t do it justice.

“I had something akin to a spiritual experience, I think. It fed my wairua in a way I haven’t felt before, and in doing so brought to me the realisation that this is what I need to be seeking always - for myself and for everyone around me. He manaakitanga, he whanaungatanga, he kotahitanga hoki.

Thank you for organising and hosting us all with such kindness and generosity. I know I’m not the only person to have had an experience like this, and I’m so grateful I was there to share it with everyone. The next NMTH cannot come soon enough.”