Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre of New Zealand
Richard A. Wallin
In yesterday's local newspaper I read that "Kahurangi, The Maori Dance
Theatre of New Zealand" will be appearing here in St Paul, Minnesota in a
few weeks. The brief article was only one sentence long. It said
"Ancient dance traditions brought to life on the modern stage."
Does anyone know anything about this group? Have you seen them perform?
Are they authentic or do they put on a phony Hawaiian Island
tourist-trap pseudo-Polynesian type show? I don't mind paying $18 to $23
if they put on an authentic performance that is a credit to the Maori
people, but I don't want to support a fake cultural ripoff.
Please let me know so I can get tickets- the performance is on Sept.
17th.
Rod Bicknell
>In yesterday's local newspaper I read that "Kahurangi, The Maori Dance
>Theatre of New Zealand" will be appearing here in St Paul, Minnesota
> [cut]
> Are they authentic or do they put on a phony Hawaiian Island
>tourist-trap pseudo-Polynesian type show? I don't mind paying $18 to $23
>if they put on an authentic performance that is a credit to the Maori
>people, but I don't want to support a fake cultural ripoff.
They're authentic. I'd never met them before but a few of them stayed
with me when they performed in my upstate New York town. I no longer
recall what iwi they're from except that it's in the North Island.
They also performed at the Atlanta Olympics opening ceremony.
Rod
Rod Bicknell
Richard :
As soon as I posted my previous message I found the following
information:
"Kahurangi, New Zealand's only professional Maori Dance Company,
brings to life the heritage of the native Maori people through its
vivid repertoire of tribal music and dance. Their works focus on
bringing to life the traditional songs and dances of the Maori people
with dazzling choreography, colorful costumes and contagious energy.
"One of the main reaons for the founding of the company was to
revitalize the "ihi" or life force of Maori culture. Another strong
reason for the company's existence is to create cultural, educational,
and employment opportunities in the Arts for Maori young people.
"The company travels over 25,000 miles annually. It has performed in
six countries including three command performances for Queen Elizabeth
II. In North America, the group has performed at the Kennedy Center,
the Colorado Summerfest, the Baltimore Festival of the Arts, and
renowned children's festivals in the United States and Canada."
They're associated with the Takitimu Performing Arts School at the
Hawke's Bay Polytechnic -- performers are completing or have
Bachelorships in Maori Performing Arts.
s & j thurston
Do you know their tour schedule? Are they coming to Vancouver, B.C, by any
chance ?
Brian Dooley
In article <322b5e65...@199.0.0.7>, rbic...@mhv.net (Rod Bicknell) wrote:
> Richard :
>
> As soon as I posted my previous message I found the following
> information:
snip------
> They're associated with the Takitimu Performing Arts School at the
> Hawke's Bay Polytechnic -- performers are completing or have
> Bachelorships in Maori Performing Arts.
I give way to no one in believing that you should do the
best you can with what you've got; but this is a new one on
me.
Brian Dooley
Wellington New Zealand
Rod Bicknell
>I give way to no one in believing that you should do the
>best you can with what you've got; but this is a new one on
>me.
I'm not certain what you're meaning here but the information, I quoted
was from a flyer from the Hawke's Bay Polytechnic. It further reads:
"The Takitimu Performing Arts School is the culmination of several
years of dedication and commitment of a small band of young Maori
enthusiasts led by our executive Director Mr Tama Huata. From a humble
beginning where the primary objective was the imparting of traditional
skills, poi, haka and action songs, has grown the wonderful training
establishment of today. A unique partnership with the Hawke's Bay
Polytechnic and formal recognition by the New Zealand Qualifications
has enabled the creation of a three year course leading to a Bachelor
of Maori Performing Arts Degree."
The three young women of the Kahurangi Maori Dance Theatre who stayed
with me were in the middle of their degrees. They seemed to think that
upon completion of their degrees and their return to NZ they would be
employed as teachers in the NZ education system teaching NZ kids on
Maori culture and customs.
--Rod