7 August 2024
Join our whānau whānui as we remember the activists, creatives, advocates and supporters who made Te Rākau what it is today, and look forward to what lies ahead.
Nau mai ngā manu o te pō, nau mai ngā manu o te ao. Anei tō tātou mihi ki te whānau whānui o Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu. Mai i ngā tai o te Moana o Raukawa ki ngā tai o te Moana Nui a Kiwa kua kawe i a tātou i ēnei tau kua pahure. Whakanuia!
Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu Trust began as a space for Māori performance activists.
In 1989, fellow collaborators Rangimoana Taylor, Gabe Giddens, Rameka Cope, Jerry Banse and Jim Moriarty established the theatre company with a deed inherited from the Māori Theatre Trust.
They wanted to continue the vision of that early organisation: for Māori to be in control of telling their own stories.
35 years later in 2024, Te Rākau is now Aotearoa New Zealand’s longest surviving independent Māori theatre company and is run by Kaitohu (Director) Jim Moriarty.
Ka mua, ka muri
Kauia Moriarty (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Kahungunu) is the Chair of Te Rākau’s Board of Trustees. As the daughter of Te Rākau’s current director, she grew up surrounded by stories of Te Rākau’s founding and its roots in Māori activism of the early 70s.
“Te Rākau was set on the path it follows today by Ngāti Toa kaumātua at Takapūwāhia pā,” says Kauia.
“Our name - Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu – was gifted to us by one of Jim’s aunties from the pā, Harata Horomona. It means ‘the blossoming fruit tree of the sacred grove.’
“Our name tells us that we, Te Rākau, are just one tree within a greater forest. Within the forest we are surrounded by language, tikanga, and stories, and are connected to a vast network of those who have gone before and those that will come after.
“Our job at Te Rākau is to nurture the next generation and give life to the vision that was seeded all those years ago: Māori stories told from a Māori perspective.”
remembering 35 years
Te Rākau Kaitohu, Jim Moriarty, says celebrating the 35 year anniversary is all about acknowledging the activists, performers, advocates and supporters that have made Te Rākau what it is today.
“We’ve been digging out the old photo albums and talking about some precious memories from the last 35 years. Te Rākau’s history goes back to the early days of Theatre Marae and those creatives who first had that vision,” says Jim.
“The foundations of what they worked for are still here. You feel it when the whakaeke starts, you see the pride and excitement in the eyes of the rangatahi when they stand to perform.
“We get to relive and carry on those stories. Every time we look at the pou standing watch outside our whare, we remember the crew getting them into the elevators for the first Theatre Marae shows at Taki Rua The Depot.”
Throughout August, Te Rākau is encouraging creative artists and collaborators, kaimahi and supporters to share their own memories of Te Rākau and Māori theatre on its Facebook page.
“Te Rākau had a lasting impact on my upbringing and creativity as an adult,” says Kauia.
“I’m really looking forward to hearing from Te Rākau performers, friends and supporters about their special moments from the past 35 years too.”
te pae tawhiti
When it comes to looking ahead to the future, Kauia says the Board leans on the wisdom of its tūpuna and their guiding values.
“We have a really unique makeup which includes rangatahi, experienced creative artists, social service experts and Te Rakau kaimahi,” says Kauia.
“Our board structure is informed by the tuakana-teina framework, and is a perfect example of how Te Rākau seeks to re-indigenise creative spaces.
“It’s valuable to have Board Members with first-hand knowledge of the company’s values and who have such a wide range of skills to guide us forward.
“We’re excited to take on the next 35 years and see what future creative and therapeutic contributions we can make across our communities.”
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