Whakapuāwai Programme

Whakapuāwai is an annual programme offering opportunities for development and connection for the Māori performing arts community. 

Workshops

Whakawhanaungatanga Waiata Sessions 

with Aleesha Tia Gordon

Waiata Sessions is an opportunity to come together, whakawhanuanga and just sing. Each session, the group learn a new waiata and hokimahara to previous ones. These are relaxed, drop-in style sessions so nau mai, haere mai! 

 

Waiata sessions are a light, fun and active way of coming together and our hope is that you leave feeling a bit more confident with waiata māori as well as with a full cup! Guiding participants through our sessions is Te Kawerau a Maki’s very own Aleesha-Tia Gordon!

 

Āhea | When: Monday 4, 11 & 18 Nov, 2024, 6 – 7:30pm 

Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre

Mo wai | For who: Hapori o Tamaki, Community of Auckland

Utu | Cost: Free

October Foundations Workshop

This is a Te Pou/Massive Theatre Company collaboration as part of  Whakapuāwai Programme.
 

This free two day workshop offers theatre training for young people aged 14-25 years. Suitable for all levels of experience, it’s led by two professional teaching artists from the Massive teaching team. You will learn a wide range of theatre foundation skills and techniques, and explore different ways of making theatre pieces using your own ideas and stories. The workshop runs from 10am to 4pm each day.

 

TEACHING ARTISTS: Denyse Su’a and Manunui Rainey

 

Denyse Su’a  is an educator, creative practitioner and ‘maker of things’. Denyce has been a member of Massive Theatre Company since 2012, and has trained as an actor, director and teaching artist with the company. She performed in The Wholehearted (2016-2017) and The Island, which toured to the National Theatre of Scotland Youth Exchange Programme in 2016. She loves collaborative spaces where ideas can be let loose, and magic can be found. Theatre’s the perfect space for all that goodness to happen. 

 

Manunui Rainey is an actor hailing from a little town called Tūrangi. He graduated from Unitec in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Performing and Screen Arts. Manu joined Massive at the start of 2023 through a Foundations workshop, and has been a member of Massive Nui Ensemble ever since. He recently performed in Massive’s 2024 production of Te Ao Hou, and is taking part in Massive’s Directors Lab 2024.


Āhea | When: Wed 1 Oct 2025 & Thur 2 Oct 2025, 10am – 4pm each day

Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre

“Te Pou has always been a place that welcomes and nurtures its Māori community”

– Richard Te Are

Waiata Sessions with Tyler
Filling our kete with waiata māori, whakawhanaungatanga and wairua pai
2024 Matariki Industry Hui
Wānanga, kōrero, kai and dreaming for the year ahead
Kawhe Kōrero with Maioha Allen
Weekly reo Māori sessions for Māori creatives. Suported by Te Mātāwai.
Koi Sharpen Up Wānanga delivered in partnership with Equity
Sharpening our acting skills and deepening our connections
2024 Matariki Industry Hui
Post kai and wānanga
Te Pou Awe Acting Classes with Tainui
Seven week series for all levels of the māori acting community

Kaitautoko | Sponsors

We are grateful to have various organizations, businesses and people supporting many different aspects of Te Pou. We couldn’t achieve what we have without their support. Our Whakapuāwai Programme is sponsored by the following: