Ōrotokare: Art, Story, Motion Trust

13/02/2023

For many years now, I have been fortunate to visit Māori communities throughout the country exploring the ‘creative potential’ of the iwi/Māori dimension of our nation. One of the messages that I like to share during my visits concerns the need for tangata whenua (waka, iwi, hapū, marae) communities to deliberately create consciously joyful experiences for their members. This is because iwi/marae life can be serious and somber at times - given the number of meetings, hui, tangihanga, important issues, challenges and much more that continuously flow through our communities. It’s not that there is no joy to be found there for people find joy anyway in unplanned and serendipitous ways while attending tangihanga and other hui for example. However, just as we deliberately create marae committee meetings, for example, should we not also deliberately create joyful events for our people?

I’m at beautiful Ōtākou Marae this weekend (18-20 Nov 2023), on Otago Harbour, running the first of a new round of whare tapere wānanga building Mātauranga Māori capability in Ngā Toi Māori artists. It’s sooo good to finally getting the whare tapere waka back on the water - to revisit the things we did previously and allow space for new energy and possibilities. Our people are thirsting for nourishing and uplifting experiences with mātauranga Māori to support their creativity. We’ve been discussing things such as creative practice, the place of the arts in society, mātauranga Māori perspectives on creativity and much more.

I’ve particularly enjoyed sharing my updated ideas about the whare tapere today. I now use the following description: ‘A whare tapere is an event/experience convened by a tangata whenua community (waka, iwi, hapū, whānau, marae) at a location of significance and meaning to them and where all experience rēhia and as a means by which to nourish that community.’

We discussed this statement in our hui as well as the many ways by which rēhia might be achieved - such as through storytelling, dance and song and performances with karetao-puppets and taonga pūoro-musical instruments, tākaro-games and much more. We also discussed the logistics of running whare tapere today and deeper questions regarding tangata whenuatanga or indigeneity.

Many thanks to Jessica Latton for being our hui coordinator, to Louise Potiki Bryant and Katrina Bryant for contributing to the hui, to the whānau of Ōtākou Marae and all our attendees who came to support our hui. Tēnā koutou katoa Looking forward to further adventures in the whare tapere!

12/02/2023

On Friday and Saturday, 10-11 February 2023, we ran the second of four hui for the programme entitled 'Pou-Rewa: Building Mātauranga Māori Capability in Ngā Toi Māori artists through the whare tapere'. This hui was held at Te Whakarongotai/Kōkōhuia Marae, Ōmāpere, Hokianga and was attended by approximately 35 people working in a variety of artistic and creative roles largely in Te Tai Tokerau. (Our first hui was held at Ōtākou Marae, Dunedin, in November 2022)

The purpose of the 'Pou-Rewa' programme is to build mātauranga Māori capability in Ngā Toi Māori artists. Of particular interest is how mātauranga Māori can be used to strengthen the creative practices of our artists and creatives. Consequently, we touched on many related questions and issues - such as the meaning of the words mātauranga Māori and toi, what is art and artmaking, mātauranga Māori perspectives on creativity and much more.

This programme makes great use of the whare tapere as an example of mātauranga Māori creativity. Through this we addressed some very interesting topics and questions such as 'what is rēhia and how is to be achieved today?' 'If whare tapere are about nurturing tangata whenua communities, what exactly is a tangata whenua community today and what are the realities that our communities face that whare tapere might be able to assist with and respond to?' It was a rich and rewarding discussion.

Unfortunately, our hui was affected by the weather. As Cyclone Gabrielle was forecast to begin arriving on Sunday, we had to bring the hui to an end on Saturday evening so that hui attendees could get home that evening and the marae was made available for the local community (among other things, Te Whakarongotai/Kōkōhuia Marae is a civil defence centre.)

Despite this, however, we had an action packed two days together. The wonderful Wiremu Sarich lead us in a number of tākaro sessions and Jessica Latton, who came all the way from Dunedin, also led a movement session on Saturday morning. Thanks so much to Jessica and Wiremu. At 3pm on Saturday, we were treated to a complimentary visit to the Te Manea Centre where we were royally entertained by Rāmai Ngākuru. (E hine, ka nui te mihi ki a koe, ki tō kaha!)

On a personal note, it was very pleasing to be finally able to take mātauranga Māori creativity and the whare tapere to Kōkōhuia Marae, Ōmāpere - something that I have been trying to do for some years now. My grandmother belonged to the Toi family of Ōmāpere and I have long had a desire to contribute to our marae and community there through the whare tapere.

And of course Kōkōhuia is an absolutely stunning location to run hui, overlooking the wahapū or mouth of beautiful Hokianga Harbour.

Many, many thanks to Bernard Makoare and the team from Toi Ngapuhi, to Maria Barnes and the team from the Te Manea Centre and, of course, to Mereana Watene and Te Whakarongotai/Kōkōhuia Marae. Ka nui rā te mihi!

01/12/2014

Tēnā koutou katoa.
The Trustees and management of Ōrotokare met last week and decided not to proceed with Whare Tapere 2015. A number of factors have lead to this decision including a lack of preparedness as well as some unsuccessful funding rounds. Whilst this is disappointing, we feel it is the right decision to make and we are determined to return with a reworked, refreshed and high quality whare tapere at Waimangō in 2016.

(This means that the Waimangō whare tapere will now be a biennial event, a pattern initiated in 2012.)

We will also develop a programme of smaller scale whare tapere activities which will lead to and support the larger biennial event. So watch this space!

We thank you all for your ongoing support of Ōrotokare and the whare tapere!

Ngā mihi
Charles

27/08/2014

Kia ora koutou katoa! Here is an early announcement to let you know that Whare Tapere 2015 will take on 14, 15 February 2015, again at Waimangō, Hauraki. Come on down!

02/04/2014

03/03/2014

Images of Whare Tapere 2014, 22 February at Waimangō, Wharekawa, Hauraki

28/02/2014

Kia ora koutou, here is another video from Whare Tapere 2014 of the game 'Puwha!'

This video is about Puwha! 2014

27/02/2014

Kia ora koutou, here is a little video of Raupuhi-Rautaka from Whare Tapere 2014!

This video is about Raupuhi Rautaka 2014

24/02/2014

Precious Clark, Kelly Kahukiwa, Eamon Nathan, Charles Royal, Horomona Horo and Alistair Fraser perform 'Ode to the City' from Makaurau Sessions

24/02/2014

Photo by Anna Tripp

Images of Whare Tapere 2014, 22 February at Waimangō, Wharekawa, Hauraki