For the last 15 each years, Taki Rua has toured total immersion Mäori theatre throughout Aotearoa.

This year’s production, Matapihi ki te ao (window to the world) had a different genesis to earlier productions. Rather than working from a written text, the play is a devised work, based on the performers’ own stories. 

A great strength of this approach is the ‘naturalness’ of the Mäori language in the very enjoyable 45 minute piece.

Sitting in Te Tumu Herenga Waka, the carved house at Victoria University’s marae, the word ‘ngäwari’ [accommodating and kind] kept coming to mind as I watched Matapihi ki te ao. 

As the production notes explain, the play is based around theme of journeys: “Journeys we take both inside and outside ourselves in order to seek new horizons. Inspired by the stories of our tipuna, our environments and our imaginations Matapihi ki te ao takes a look at our need to follow our passion, look out for tohu along the way, and the different windows we all look out of at the world.”

Tiki Daniela and Nepia Takuira-Mita (both in their final years at Kura Kaupapa Mäori) play TK and his koroua, respectively. TK, travelling as part of a kapa haka group, meets his elder, who tells him about when he was a soldier with the Mäori Battalion during the Second World War. The exploits of TK Snr are re-enacted by the cast, with pükana used as a lethal (and very humorous) weapon against the enemy. 

There are some lovely Mäori word games, and a very funny scene where an aircraft safety briefing is given an indigenous twist.

Clever use of humour is one of the strengths of Matapihi ki te ao, and if the reactions of the audience (made up mostly of university students) was an indication, the jokes hit their mark. 

Paulette Hansen and Karl Teariki ably play a number of other roles, including TK’s Mother, a kapa haka tutor and a formidable character called Aunty Miharo.

As you’d expect in a Taki Rua production, waiata and kapa haka also feature as part of the narrative. There’s also modern dance, executed by Nepia Takuira-Mita.

In keeping with a touring production, the set is very basic, several wooden speaker cubes also doubling as airline seats and other props.

Taki Rua’s annual Mäori language production is usually aimed at children, but this year’s play can be enjoyed by adults as well. The play’s message, about following your dreams, is skilfully conveyed in a gentle, ngäwari manner.

The play is directed by Ngapaki Emery, recently seen in another Taki Rua production, Mark Twain & me in Mäoriland.

To see actors so comfortable with using Te Reo Mäori, particularly ones so young, inspires optimism about the future of the language.

As one of the actors said after the performance, ‘te mïharo o ta tätou reo.’ [our wonderful language] Ae marika.

[Click on the title above for the times & places of public lunchtime performances, Wed 28 and Thur 29 July.]
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