In honour of ngā whetū o Matariki, Haumanu Collective hosted an immersive evening of taonga pūoro (Māori musical instruments) at the Te Papa Matariki Whakangahau event in Te Whanganui-a-Tara on Friday, July 14. I worked at the event as digital support and was lucky enough to get to play both Taonga Pūoro as well as bass in the final performance.
Watch the performance
The sold-out event marked the release of Haumanu Collective’s first album, He Kete Pūoro Volume 1, where respected practitioners, experts, and kaitiaki of the ancient instruments put on a captivating display of live performances and passionate kōrero.
The album is regarded as a dynamic fusion of contemporary and traditional sounds, showcasing the enchanting world of taonga pūoro. It is testament to the talented artists, practitioners and makers who worked alongside musicians to bring this art form to life in a compelling, modern context.
Haumanu Collective project manager, Margaret Aull (Te Rarawa, Fiji, Tuwharetoa) is proud to see this project come to fruition, with the hope that it amplifies the importance of taonga pūoro and mātauranga Māori in Aotearoa and beyond.
“We have been working hard over the past three years to promote and raise the visibility of taonga pūoro whilst creating opportunities for whānau to connect with our taonga tuku iho. It’s exciting to see the team’s energy and passion transform into projects that contribute to the revitalisation, preservation and cultivation of this taonga.”
The event also saw the launch of season two of the collective’s podcast, Oro Rua, a series focused on the stories knowledge and experience of leading practitioners and the unique experience that taonga pūoro brings.
This new season of the podcast is of special importance to Haumanu Collective. The first episode is an interview with Hinewīrangi Kohu-Morgan, the respected Māreikura Taonga Pūoro practitioner and advocate who passed away earlier this year. The collective’s Matariki Whakangahau event on Friday night was a commemoration of her life and legacy.
“Hinewīrangi Kohu-Morgan’s contribution has been immense across Aotearoa and abroad. She was an important thread in the tapestry of Haumanu Collective,” Aull says. “Tonight, on Matariki, is about paying tribute to her and the many others that have helped pave the way for the resurgence of taonga pūoro.”
The Haumanu Collective album, He Kete Pūoro Volume 1, is now available to stream on Spotify or download on Band Camp. Season two of the podcast, Oro Rua is live on Spotify, Podbean and the Haumanu Collective website.