Whakapuāwai is an annual programme offering opportunities for development and connection for the Māori performing arts community.
Join us monthly for Waiata Sessions with Aleesha-Tia Taua as part of our Whakapuawai Programme! These sessions are an opportunity to come together, whakawhanaungatanga and learn a new waiata Māori to add to your kete. Guiding participants through our waiata sessions is the manu tioriori Aleesha-Tia Taua. Waiata sessions are held monthly on Mondays over 2025.
Āhea | When: Mondays (monthly) 7 Apr, 5 May, 9 Jun, 7 Jul, 4 Aug, 1 Sep, 6 Oct & 3 Nov, 6-7:30pm
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who: Māori creatives, but all who come are welcome!
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
An opportunity for Māori kaituhi to kōrero and start developing whakaari i te reo Māori. Join us for these wānanga to kickstart or continue to develop a script in an informal and supportive environment.
Āhea | When: Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 June, 10am – 4pm (both days)
Kei hea | Where: Te Pou Theatre
Mo wai | For who: Māori Creative Community
Utu | Cost: Kore utu
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
– Richard Te Are
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:
