Taumata Whitireia Ensemble

Wellington, New Zealand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The group Taumata Whitireia originates in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. It was formed by graduates of the Porirua Polytechnic University with the desire to share and promote their cultural roots.

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Taumata Whitireia: a convergence of geography, culture, and art from New Zealand.

The term “Taumata Whitireia” encompasses a rich range of meanings, going beyond a simple geographical marker to represent a vibrant cultural force in New Zealand.

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Taumata Whitireia is a collective of Performing Arts graduates from Whitireia. They promote diversity, cultural pride, and cultural inclusion. They dedicate themselves to using the stage to inspire, share cultural knowledge, connect, explore, and discover a sense of cultural identity through the performing arts. At Taumata Whitireia, they believe it is an honor and a privilege to serve their local communities through cultural arts.

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Taumata plays an important role in promoting the traditional song and dance of the New Zealand archipelago, bringing the spiritual power and drama of Māori culture, the joyful energy of Samoa, and the sensual rhythms of the Cook Islands to national and international stages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Māori culture is expressed through songs, myths, and stories that connect present-day inhabitants with their ancestors. While they continue to maintain their attachment to traditional songs, dances, foods, and sacred jade objects, the Māori welcome visitors with the same warmth and trust as their ancestors did 200 years ago. Hospitality is the foundation of Māori culture.

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The program highlights the famous Haka dance, a traditional Māori dance often—but mistakenly—considered merely a war dance.

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The Haka is a form of expression that allows performers moments of freedom to convey their inner feelings and can carry multiple meanings, from strength to peace, from joy to sorrow. It is a traditional Māori dance characterized by a combination of singing, movements, voices, and synchronized gestures. Its origin lies in expressing pride, strength, and tribal unity, historically used as a challenge to rivals in war and as a peace ritual between groups. Today, it is performed at weddings, celebrations, hospitality events, tourist shows, and in New Zealand rugby to intimidate opponents and prepare emotionally for battle. It is accompanied by a strong, primal chant. The Haka includes energetic stomping, grotesque facial expressions with the tongue, and rhythmic slaps on the body, all performed in unison.

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The performance by Taumata Whitireia will open a window to these beautiful and distant islands of Oceania.