He whakaari reo Māori, he whakaari ahunga Māori, he whakaari wairua Māori!  

Currently playing at BATS Theatre, Wellington, He Kura E Huna Ana is written by Hōhepa Waitoa and directed by Nancy Brunning.  According to Tānemahuta Grey the Chief Executive of Taki Rua Productions, Tuesday was a special night as it presents the first adult-orientated Taki Rua touring play to be performed completely in te reo Māori.

He pakiwaitara aroha tēnei nō ngā kōrero tūpuna a Ngāti Waewae.  E rua ngā kiripuaki tā ngā kaiwhakaari tokowhā.  Ko Taua, ko Hine Hoaka (ko Tanea Heke), ko te tuawahine ataahua ko Hine ko Waitaiki (ko Puawai Winterburn), ko tōna whaiāipō a Tau, a Tamaahua (ko Nepia Takuira-Mita) me te taniwha a Tini, a Poutini (ko Scotty Cotter) nāna a Waitaiki i kawhaki hei wahine māna.  Ā, ka puaki te kōrero ki ēnei rangi tonu i waenga i ngā piki me ngā heke o ngā taiohi e kimi huarahi ana, kia ea ai te ngata i te ao hurihuri nei.  Nā, ka tāwhiwhi te āhua o ngā kōrero o mua, onāia tonu nei hoki, e whakaatu ana ka pēnei tonu te hanga o te tāne, mā te wahine tonu ia e whai ai.  Kua pā atu te whakaari ki te whakamomoritanga, he taniwha i rangona whānuitia e te iwi Māori, heoi ka puta he rongoā i te ao marama i ngā hau o te kāinga. 

Beyond the love triangle is Taua (Tanea Heke), the grandmother of Hine (Puawai Winterburn) who is re-considering her relationship with Tau (Nepia Takuira-Mita), while Tini (Scotty Cotter) sees this as an opportunity for him to make her his own. It is the grandmother’s narrative that pulls together the various strands of the story while, through humour, also providing some light relief to deal with the heavy subject matter. 

The fifth member of the on-stage cast is Sheree Waitoa who expertly weaves the musical score into the play with a variety of instruments such as taonga pūoro, guitar, and simple beats on a hollow box, that match the mood, movement and voices of the actors.  This combines with the use of a multi-level stage, mist and lighting to convey the audience to other places and times.  

He reo rōreka tō te kapa nei, kī tonu te whakaari i ngā momo waiata reka ki te taringa Māori, tae atu hoki ki te waiata kawa a te nanakia a Poutini!  Te rere pai o te kōrero, e waia ana, e mārama ana hoki.  He Māori hoki te reo, ka tika.  Taku hokinga ki te kāinga ka kimi i taku Wīremu hei whakamārama ake i ētehi o ngā kupu i whakahuatia ake rā.  Koia pea he hua anō tēnei i puta mai i te whakaari reo Māori. 

This play is a twist on a classic Māori love story, filled with waiata, wit and challenge.  I enjoy it because I hear, see and feel the experiences of my whānau echo from the stage.  I laugh, I see my friend get teary, I appreciate the language and the way it is spoken, sung, chanted, mingled with the music and stage and it is physically embodied to express a Māori view.  It’s a story that can still be followed by non-Māori speakers prepared to let the language flow around them as they’re entertained for 90mins in te reo.  As the Mayor of Wellington, Justin Lester might attest to today. 

Heoi aku mihi, kei te rongo i ngā tautōhito o te Ringatohu i āna mahi whakanui i ngā pūkenga o ngā kaiwhakaari, ko ā ratou kōrero ā-waha, ā-tinana me te hono atu ki ngā āhuatanga whakatū horopaki i te atamira, kei reira koutou ko tō tira e tuku mai i te kura huna.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

“Mena ko te awatea koe e hiahia ana, ko au te uri o Māui, māku a Tamanui-te-Rā e whakapōturi…”

He tauira tēnei o te reo hōhonu o te koha nei. Pērā hoki ki te pōwhiri, ko te reo o te wāhine te reo tuatahi ka rangona e te tangata i te tīmatanga o te whakaari nei. He waiata tangi e aue ana mō te ngaronga o tōna whanau e hia tau ki muri me te kōrero pouri o tērā rā i pāngia te wāhine rā e te ringa o aitua.

He Kura e Huna Ana, nā te hinengaro kokoi o Hōhepa Waitoa, ko te kaiwhakarite a Nancy Brunning, he pūrākau hou e korero anōtia mō Waitaiki, mō tōna tau a Tamaahua me te Taniwha a Poutini, ā, mō te pūtakenga mai hoki o te pounamu. He kōrero tēnei kua whakatakotoria mai ngā ara i mua i te hunga mātakitaki ana o ngā ao e rua e noho tahi ana. Te ao kōhatu, me te ao o naianei. Me te kaha hoki o Ngāi Māori ki te whai i ngā tapuwae o ngā tīpuna, ngā hua pai o tēnā, te ako, me ngā hua kino. Nā te rerehua o ngā kupu, te mita me te reo o ngā kai whakaari ka uru katoatia te hunga mātakitaki ki te Ao o te hunga nei.

Ka timata, kei te atamira ngā kaiwhakaari e noho ana, ā, ka tīmata te reo ataahua o Kim, ka rongo i ngā aitua, a ka tūtaki i tōna tāne, a Tau. Kua wareware i a ia ko tenei te rā whakamaumaharatanga o te matenga o te whānau o Hine, ko tēnei te timatanga mai o ō rāua raru, engari ka puta mai te whakaari o Hine, kua pūremu a Tau. Ka tautohe te tokorua, ā ka wehe a Hine, tangi ai ki te taha o tōna hoa, a Tini. Engari ka arohaina hoki ia i a Hine, nāwai ā ka oma atu ki te taha o tōna kuia.

Ko rātou katoa ka tū hei māngai mō ngā reo e rua, ahakoa te tere o ngā huri i ētahi wā, ngāwari noa te kite ko wai a wai! Ahakoa he ‘atamira pōhara’, kaore he maha ngā taputapu, ka kitea katoatia ngā panonitanga o ia āhua ‘whare’, i ngā tīni kakahū hoki, ka kitea hoki a Sheree Waitoa, te tohunga whakatangi pūoro māori, kītā hoki, hei kinaki i ngā mahi o ngā kaihaka, kore rawa te rotu e karo. Ka mau katoatia tātou te hunga mātakitaki e te pūrākau nei! He pikitia ataahua kua peitatia e te reo, e ngā oro, e ngā rama hoki. Mena he awa ki te atamira, kua kuhuna koe, mena he pouri tō te tangata, he pouri hoki nōu!

Ko Hine, a Kim Garrett, he wāhine kaha, me “ngā taimahatanga kua riro māna hei pīkau”. Ahakoa te roa o te wā me ana whāinga kua tutuki, kei te ngau kino tonutia tōna ngākau e te mamae o te matenga o ōna mātua, tōna māhanga me tōna Koroua i tōna tamaititanga. A Waitaki hoki, te puhi o Kāti Waewae, te hoa wāhine o Tamaahua me te hiahia o Poutini.

“Ko au te timatanga me te mutunga o āku mahi” Ka kitea ahakoa he rangirua, he wairangi tōna wairua me tōna ngākau, he wahine kaha tonu ia, tau ana i roto i te mōhiotanga o tōna ake mana.

Ko tōna kuia tērā me tōna arero koi, e wepua ana i te tangata. Te hanga reka, te mōhio me te ataahua o tōna āhua. A Tania Gilchrist, ko ia tonu tō tātou katoa kuia. Kore taea te kore aroha atu!

Ko Tau, a Jared Hiakita, he tāne hūmārie, ahakoa āna hē, ka arohaina a Hine e ia. Te rawe hoki o tāna tū me te rerekē o āna mahi hei Tau, hei Tamaahua hoki me te mana nōna i runga i te atamira, e kimi ana i ōna ipō.

Ko Tini/ Poutini, a Scotty Cotter, ko tētahi he hoa nanakia, he mea whakatoi engari ngākau nui, ngākau aroha, ko tētahi te mea weriweri, anuanu, Taniwha rawa. Ā ko ia tērā, ka arohaina, ka kino hoki atu au ki a ia!

Ki ahau nei, ehara tēnei i te whakaari noa, engari kē he kuaha ki te Ao Kōhatu. He whakaoratanga anō o te Ao o Nehe kia hoki mai ki tēnei Ao Mārama. He matapihi mā Ngāi Pākehā kia kite ai ngā āhuatanga o tātou te Ao Māori, he haerenga hoki mā tātou katoa e mātaki ana. Ki te kuku te hā o te kaitū, ka kuku hoki te hā o te hunga, ko tērā te mana o te mahi nei.

He kura me kore e huna ana, me toroa nei tōna ahua, kia rere atu me ōna roimata hei taonga tuku ki te ao, kia kore rawa e kotuku rerenga tahi.

– – – – – – – – – – –

“Mena ko te awatea koe e hiahia ana, ko au te uri o Māui, māku a Tamanui-te-Rā e whakapōturi…”
-“If it is the dawn you desire, I am a descendant of Māui, I will slow the sun…”

This is an example of the clever and deep language used in this gift. Like the Pōwhiri, the woman’s voice is the first we hear at the start of this piece. A lament, crying for the loss of her family years before, and the tragic story that unfolded of the day disaster struck this woman’s life.

He Kura E Huna Ana: A Hidden Treasure, from the sharp mind of Hōhepa Waitoa, directed by Nancy Brunning, is a new telling of Waitaiki, of her love Tamaahua and the Taniwha Poutini, and the origins of pounamu. This is a story which lays before the audience two paths running alongside each other. The ancient world, and the current one. The way Māori follow the footsteps of those who have come before, the good that comes from that but also the bad. Carried by the beauty of the words, the flow and voices of performers, those watching are taken completely into their world.

In the beginning, the actors are sitting on stage, then the beautiful voice of Kim Garrett begins. We hear of her sadness, and we meet her darling, Tau. He has forgotten that today is the anniversary of the death of Hine’s family, and this is the beginning of their fight. It comes out that Hine believes Tau has been unfaithful. They argue and she leaves in tears to seek solace with her friend, Tini. But he also has feelings for her, so she leaves him to join her grandmother.

The actors all stand as mouthpieces for dual voices, and despite the quick changes, it is easy for the audience to know who is who! Although it is ‘poor theatre’, with not much in the way of staging or props, the audience can see all the set changes and the costume changes. They also see Sheree Waitoa, whose command of every instrument she plays, both guitar and traditional taonga pūoro, weaves magic to support the performers, and the spell is not broken. Everyone watching is held spellbound! A beautiful picture is painted with sound and light. If there is a river on stage, we swim in it, if the character is sad, so too are we!

Hine, played by Kim Garrett, is a strong fierce woman, with “ngā taimahatanga kua riro māna hei pīkau” (“the heavy sad burdens she wears as a backpack”). Although time has passed and she has achieved much, her heart is still eaten by the pain of losing her parents, her twin and her grandfather when she was a child.  She carries that same strength as Waitaiki, the flower of Kāti Waewae, the love of Tamaahua and the desire of Poutini. 

“Ko au te tīmatanga me te mutunga o āku mahi.” (“I am the beginning and the end of what I do, I choose my own path.”) We see that although her soul is confused and ailing, she is still so strong, and secure in the knowledge of her own strength. 

That grandmother and her sharp tongue, whipping all those around her into shape! She is so funny, wise and beautiful. Tania Gilchrist is all of our grandmothers! It’s impossible not to love her!

Tau, played by Jared Hiakita, is a gentle man who, despite his faults, loves Hine dearly. Hiakita carries the mana of this character and Tamaahua beautifully, and the differences of both distinctly, as they both seek their loves.

Tini/Poutini are played by Scotty Cotter. One is a cheeky friend, who pushes the boundaries yet ultimately has a good, loving heart; the other is a hateful, ugly Taniwha. He embodies them both: one we love, one we hate!

To me, this is not a play, but a doorway into the Ancient World. An invocation and a living portrayal of the old world brought to life and into this world of light. It is a window for non-Māori to see how the past truly influences us and who we are as a people, and a journey for all of us who watched it. If the character holds their breath, we too hold our breath, as that is the power of this piece.

He kura me kore e huna ana, me toroa nei tōna āhua, kia rere atu me ōna roimata hei taonga tuku ki te ao, kia kore rawa e kotuku rerenga tahi. 

This is a treasure that should not be hidden, but should instead be like the toroa and carry its tears around the world as a gift to be shared, and not be like a rare white heron, only ever glimpsed once. 

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer

Mai te kore,
ko te po,
ko te po nui,
ko te po roa,
ka puta ki te whai ao
ki te ao marama,
Tihei Mauri ora.

Set in two distinct time periods – one ancestral (Te ao turoa) and one contemporary (Te ao marama) – He Kura E Huna Ana, written by Hōhepa Waitoa, shows that the two are inseparable and losing sight of our origins can be dangerous.

When first drawn into the world of this whakaari (play) I assume it is the beautiful Kai Tahu story of Waitaiki, Tamahua and Poutini. Let me assure you that yes it is, however the application of present tense and issues which we face today surface throughout in such a clever and subtle way that it allows myself to be challenged, questioned and to connect stories and practices of the past to (if applied correctly) the now.

Upon arrival to the Whare Tapere (theatre) I am first drawn into the world of karakia (prayer) that is a traditional Māori practice to ensure all is blessed; to ensure our safety when being immersed into that world. We are greeted by live accoustic guitar and the cast sitting casually around a trestle table centre stage. A sense of peace and almost a light airy feeling is created through the orange wash across the stage.

A wailing pierces the whole space, beamed from corner to corner: “Mimiti te wai aroha, whakahiako i oku wawata.” You begin to listen with bated breath wanting to know what she is trying to say. Shaken, torn and afraid, the more you listen the more you began to understand.

(With an audience that doesn’t know Te Reo Maori, it was very easy to follow as the cast embodies the whole world of this play.)

‘Ringa kaha o aitua’ is a story of young Hine not accepting and still mourning the loss of her whanau; torn between grief and the pease she has not yet allowed herself to come to.

Throughout Hine’s story she only at times allowed us in, with moments here and there but not too much. This makes me want more and feel curious about what is going to happen. The story then introduces three other characters. Tau (Tamahua) is hoa rangatira o Hine (Hine’s partner), a kind, soft spoken man who may have made a few bad decisions in his past but can see Hine’s worry and loves her. Tini (Poutini) is te hoa o Hine (Hine’s friend), a cheeky, clever yet witty young man who also loves Hine.

Taua (Hine’s Grandmother) is a staunch, passionate Māori Taua who is filled with matauranga (knowledge) and sees the darkness her moko is facing. Taua not only is the character to help guide Hine but she also plays a critical role in narrating the ancestral stories of Waitaiki to the audience. Making connection from past tense to present tense. The use of narrations, waiata and haka is all cleverly implemented. I commend it to you all.

As the story develops the audience is next challenged with a series of scenes that flick from present tense to past tense; past tense referring to the Waitaiki story and present tense referring to Hine’s struggles with the passing of her whanau.There are a number of ways in which one can explain or make sense of this; I will keep that as an open question for all to think about.

Theatrically it is very well executed. The actors’ ability to subtly and instinctively switch from one character to another requires skill and experience, and all can do this with ease.

He Kura E Huna Ana (The Hidden Knowledge/Treasure) not only allows stories of Kai Tahu to be told in Te Wharetapere but also allows current issues to be raised within the realm of performing arts. A number of issues surface that we all tend to not want to talk about, such as whakamomori (suicide), mental illness, depression and consent.

Directed by Nancy Brunning, it is well balanced in its forms of waiata, haka and narration. All members of the cast – Kim Garrett, Jared Hiakita, Scotty Cotter and Tania Gilchrist – play off each other perfectly. The live music (Sheree Waitoa), lighting design (Nathan McKendry) and costumes (Amy Macaskill) all help to create the whole journey.

Nei ra nga mihi kia koutou katoa i tu hei whakatinanatanga i nga korero, pakiwaitara o te whenua nei o Kai Tahu. Ano nei nga mihi ki te kaitito, nau e whakatakoto i nga ara tika, i nga ara pono kia tau ai te rangimarie ki runga i te katoa.

“Me uru kahikatia, kia tapatahi te tu”
You stand with others, you are not alone.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer