Tānemahuta Gray (CEO / Kaihautu - Taki Rua Productions / Artistic Director Maui - One Man Against the Gods and Tiki-Tānemahuta) 1) Do you use any cultural protocols in your arts practice? Yes 2) What specific protocols do you utilise? (e.g karakia, welcoming powhiri, farewell poroporaki etc) HUI: For meetings we always start and end with karakia, to guide our thoughts and intentions in the kaupapa that we are discussing. Pōwhiri / Mihi Whakatau: We will always undertake a pōwhiri or mihi whakatau to open the journey with a production commencing, or a person starting in a new role within our whānau. We usually hold this in our own space at Te Haukāinga, but if we are rehearsing away from our home base, we will always look to start the process with mihi whakatau or pōwhiri. We use our pōwhiri to weave the energies of those in the room, and the ancestral heritage and links to their own Papakāinga into the room, as there is wisdom resplendent within acknowledging our ancient ways and guiding forces. Poroporoaki: We always try to complete our journeys with Poroporoaki, although sometimes this takes place prior to the final show performance, if people are flying out early the next day after an evening performance. The Poroporoaki allows us to share our thoughts on the journey, and what we have experienced, and what we will learn from and take away from the experience. Karakia Ruruku: When going into a theatre space for the first time to bring in a production, or a new rehearsal venue for the first time, we will perform karakia ruruku to bless the space (sprinkling water as we walk the whare and touch each wall), and clearing any previous energies that may mix up with our own energy and processes that we bring into the room. Kai: After mihi whakatau, and Poroporoaki, and karakia ruruku we will always require to have some kai for those to whakanoa themselves after completing the process of coming together. This also allows us to undertake our process of manaakitanga, or the uplifting of the mana and the spirits of those we are catering too. We believe that we will create stronger bonds together if we do this properly, which will deepen our working practices, and create a deeper engagement with each other’s wairua (spirit), tinana (body), hinengaro (mind) and ngākau (emotional heart). 3) How do these cultural protocols impact the overall development process of the work and final performances being created? These processes put the work into a space of reverence and tapu. A specialness that allows us to work in a deeper and more personally connected way with each other in the room. It also allows us to source inspiration from the ancestral and elemental energies that guide us through our life’s path, and help us to discover the heart and breath of the work. The process can be more fulfilling than the final product sometimes. I also believe that when done appropriately, that the work can transcend to another level that is felt and inspired by the audiences experiencing the work. 4) Do these protocols help serve to unify members of the cast and overall production? I believe they do if those in the room believe in the power of these protocols and customs to connect people. If they don’t it will have a limited effect. For transformational change and impact, it requires the whole room to have a sense that this is important (and even if they don’t understand fully what is happening), they will feel it which is much more transformative. I have experienced personally the transformation that is possible with great leaders and tutors, and I have seen others gel together beautifully. 5) Is it easy to implement these protocols in the venues that you have used in your career? In some venues in New Zealand, we are seeing a shift to respond to allowing these customs to proceed as part of the arrival of our cultural perspectives into the building. However, for many organisations the next step, so that they build the resources and capabilities from within their own organisation tend to be a step that isn’t taken. That is where our nation can step up to embrace this as a “must have”, rather than a “nice to do when the occasion arises”. The cultural maturity and realigning of perspectives is developed hugely with these processes embraced within one’s working culture. 6) Would you like to implement other protocols that you haven't yet incorporated into your work? I think as an industry (Māori Theatre Industry), we are still growing the skills to develop and hold onto the basic protocols, that to increase further is still a vision further down the horizon line for us. We need to increase more proficiency in more people knowing how to whaikōrero, karanga and waiata, and hold a pōwhiri. I do find I have to hold a lot of those tikanga elements myself, which is risky if I got unwell, and no one else is there to hold the mana of the moment. I need to make sure I am upskilling my team more (and that others are hungry to be upskilled also). Perhaps putting them on the spot might create some action for taking that next step upwards. 7) Would a Cultural Protocols Guide be useful in your future arts practice? Yes, I believe any body of work that informs our practices, and those of other cultures is vital to understanding each other better, and the world that we are privileged to share in. I look forward to seeing how you capture all the myriad of Pacific and Asian cultures (and European cultures too, which there are many), and how that is expressed in this document alongside the tangata whenua of Aotearoa. Arohanui Tānemahuta Gray (CEO / Kaihautu - Taki Rua Productions / Artistic Director Maui - One Man Against the Gods and Tiki-Tānemahuta) Nicola Hyland, (Theatre Lecturer, Victoria University) Kia ora ano Nathan Here is my response to your questions regarding the use of cultural protocols in contemporary theatre. Please let me know if you have any other queries: 1. Do you use any cultural protocols in your arts practice? Yes 2. What specific protocols do you utilise? (e.g karakia, {prayers} welcomes, farewells etc)
3) How do these cultural protocols impact the overall development process of the work and final performances being created?
4) Do you believe these protocols have an overall impact on the cast and production? Yes. It makes the work meaningful and worthwhile. 5) Is it easy to implement these protocols in the venues that you have used in your career? There are conditions specific to the University which can make the implementation of these protocols both easy (micro) and difficult (macro). I am able to practice small scale/common sense Tikanga Māori in a class environment which is culturally diverse, within a institution that is still struggling to support the integration of Te Ao Māori and Matauranga Māori into everyday teaching and learning. The broader school/faculty/university tends to put up barriers over questions of ‘resources’ and ‘consultation’ which generally translates to resistance to any financial costs of broader implementation, and the lack of staff equipped/willing to undertake these. So my way of working is the exception for which I doubt it will ever be the ‘rule’. 6) Would you like to implement other protocols that you haven't yet incorporated into your work? Yes, absolutely. I am still learning! 7) Would a Cultural Protocols Guide be useful in your future arts practice? Yes! Ngā mihi, Nicola Hyland Cian Elyse White (Television and Theatre Actress and Director of Waiti Productions) 1) We always Karakia (Whakataka te hau) if it is early in the morning- or any neutral karakia to whakawātea (cleanse and neutralise) the space in going forward with the journey ahead. If it a first meeting with cast/ crew i.e. First day of rehearsals - we will take a couple of hours holding a proper whakatau to ensure everyone is heard - then we will have a cup of tea/ kai to whakanoa We will then Karakia at the beginning and end of each rehearsal day. 2.) Karakia (neutral where possible i.e. Māori deity or whakaaro Māori based although I am christian so sometimes it's a mix of both). Also - if someone else is holding the karakia for the day- kei a ia te manuka- it is up to them how they want to whakawātea the space. If it is held on the marae and they are waewae tapu (new to the marae) then a pōwhiri will be held where possible. There is always a poroporoaki and where possible a Pō whakangāhau (Celebration night) that we as the company hold as a part of our journey together as a rōpū. 3) In my expereince, in Te Ao Māori - the product is an after-thought and almost inconsequential in comparison to the importance of the process. To Māori, tīkanga values such as Manaaki, Whānau and Respect are all essential in the footsteps of any journey - which make the journey a much more focused, rich, lasting experience embedded in support and unconditional trust. As a result, whenever the principals of ''People first'' and ''manaaki'' have been at the forefront of any company I have worked with, I have found those experiences to be the most conscious and enriching ones to date. (Also the products have been amongst the most successful.) With Māori Arts practice and engagement - WAITĪ has a strong view and follow this principal; ''If you get the culture right, the commerce will follow.'' 4) The affect is always profound - though not always positive. This is because as much as the effort to maintain certain processes and acknowledgements on the production teams end does help, actors, directors, designers, producers at the end of the day all come from outside environments which dramatically influence their state of mind, health and well-being. An example of this is, I once worked on a production where we held a particular cast member through some difficult times in their personal life - and no amount of karakia or grounding work was going to take their mind fully off what was going on. I think the difference to bare in mind for Māori - we are often deeply involved in our surroundings- spiritually, mentally and physically. If we reference the earlier point I made around the importance of 'Manaaki', it is challenging to then simply 'leave our personal stuff at the door' when we are having difficulties in the home life, particularly when it is around whānau - especially tamāriki. In this case - all we could do was do our best to be flexible (manaaki tangata) and offer our support in other ways (Did he/she need extra kai? Did he/she need the morning off etc?) In this end this helped him/her through the rehearsal period and onto the season. 5) To some degree. In most cases, the venue have the best intentions, but very little understanding of the processes and lack of Māori advisory on a governance level - which means as the production is coming in, we are essentially educating the production house. I almost wonder if a Polynesian (Māori and Pacific) liaison representative could come in to hold specific wānanga with production houses. For example, Māori audiences are not the same as pākeha audiences, particularly those from the regions. Their level of exposure to te ao whakaari in the classic Proscenium Arch context is limited - beyond Kapa Haka. Therefore the way regional audiences need to be catered to by theatres and ushers etc is different. I think education around how to hold/ uphold Māori values whilst housing a Māori production team/ audience is vital. 6 & 7) A cultural protocols guide would be very useful - however I think the opportunity for someone to be able to verbally speak to the guide would be equally as helpful. Considering Māori didn't have a scripted language beyond carving and regional symbols prior to European contact, I believe our fundamentals and values are best expressed ā waha. In saying that - a reference guide which spoke about various protocols that also had a contact which could expand on these whakaaro would be very helpful. Also perhaps a foreword explaining that these fundamentals are not concrete nor immovable, rather are key Pou that can be referenced moving forward into Māori Arts Practitioners engagement. Arohanui Cian Elyse White Kura Te Waati (Dance, Kapahaka and Theatre Practitioner) 1) Do you use any cultural protocols in your arts practice? Yes 2) What specific protocols do you utilise? (e.g karakia, welcoming powhiri, farewell poroporaki etc) all in brackets, whakawhanaungatanga including entire production and creative groups. Wananga - live in sleep-overs to immerse our team into the kaupapa, hoki ki te taiao - return to nature for karakia and korero pertaining to the kaupapa. 3) How do these cultural protocols impact the overall development process of the work and final performances being created? It establishes both individual purpose and whanau purpose, One Mind - One Heart - One Soul. We always aim to have kaumātua present throughout the process to help embed values into kaupapa 4) Do these protocols help serve to unify members of the cast and overall production? Always! 5) Is it easy to implement these protocols in the venues that you have used in your career? With the support of the venue manager anything is possible so really important to communicate all our needs. 6) Would you like to implement other protocols that you haven't yet incorporated into your work? Always open, if the need arises. 7) Would a Cultural Protocols Guide be useful in your future arts practice? Yes Acushla Tara Kupe - Actress and Production Manager in Theatre and Film Kia ora Nathan, This is very exciting, the Arts world in Aotearoa will be so lucky to have a guide like this. I am short on time (and experience) so please forgive my brief answers. 1) Do you use any cultural protocols in your arts practice? In Aotearoa I would use karakia to open and close rehearsals and shows. I have currently taken this through to the UK as well. 2) What specific protocols do you utilise? (e.g karakia, welcoming powhiri, farewell poroporaki etc) As above 3) How do these cultural protocols impact the overall development process of the work and final performances being created? I believe the unity, grounding, and focus they bring are integral to creating the best work possible. They aren’t used in the final performance seen by the audience but they definitely influence it. 4) Do these protocols help serve to unify or have an impact upon members of the cast and overall production? Absolutely. Whether Maori, Pakeha or otherwise. 5) Is it easy to implement these protocols in the venues that you have used in your career? Karakia, yes. As I have not taken part in many other protocols I couldn’t speak for them with any conviction. One area of tikanga that has caused some ‘sticky’ moments I’ve come across though is the sharing of food in or near the theatre space. 6) Would you like to implement other protocols that you haven't yet incorporated into your work? Powhiri and poroporaki for every company and new / leaving members - definitely. 7) Would a Cultural Protocols Guide be useful in your future arts practice? 100%, without a doubt absolutely, yes!!I’ve found the acceptance of traditional process good in NZ however the active support is missing. I hope this guide provides those who may be unaware or are currently unable to support, a great tool they can use. Ngā mihi nui, Acushla-Tara Kupe Q Management: [email protected] Taiaroa Royal: Artistic Director - Okareka Dance Company Tēnā koe Nathan, 1). Do you use any cultural protocols in your arts practice? Yes. We start and end the day with a karakia. 2). What specific protocols do you utilise? (eg. karakia, welcoming powhiri, farewell poroporoaki etc). As with Q.1, if we have manuhuri arrive we welcome them into the rehearsal space. In recent times we've also begun holding a poroporoaki session at the end of either the rehearsal period or a season or tour. 3). How do these cultural protocols impact the overall development process of the work and the final performances being created? It gives the whole environment a cultural feeling; the rehearsal space, the rehearsal time, the process, the work, everyone involved, and therefore it bleeds into the work itself - into the theatre, onto the stage, out to the audience. 4). Do these protocols help serve to unify or have an impact upon the members of the cast and overall production? In my experience, yes they do - completely. 5). Is it easy to implement these protocols in the venues that you have used in your career? Yes totally, both nationally and internationally. Many venues in NZ are now taking on the protocol of a powhiri to welcome in the visiting company. 6). Would you like to implement other protocols that you haven't yet incorporated into your work? There are many other protocols I would like to start using within the daily arts practice, but often time doesn't permit. 7). Would a Cultural Protocols Guide be useful in your future arts practice? Yes of course. It would help assist further protocol procedures, and help support my existing practices. It would also help those new to such protocols. Ngā mihi nui. Tai.xxx. Noa Campbell - Actor / Producer Ko Noa Campbell ahau, no te Hokianga whakapau karakia. Anei te mihi kau ana kia koe e hoa, He mihi kau ana ki te kaupapa hoki E aha nga tikanga kei roto te mahi toi Whakaari e wharikitia noku ake I aku mahi, e kia nei ko nga mahi whakaari, I raro te kaupapa o Rehia, heio tena koe, tena koutou, tena tatau katoa. Kia ora Nathan, thanks for the karanga to contribute to a resource or handbook for Cultural Protocols in Theatre/ arts practice. Just to mix things up I thought I would start with your last question / patai. 7) Would a cultural protocols guide be useful in my future practice? I think this resource would be great for venues, technical support crew, festival directors, foreign or manuhiri from a far / overseas, and actors that have never worked in a Māori production. For my own practice I feel confident to look after tikanga, and lay it down for my people if it’s my own work. In the situation of working for someone else on a project they are leading, I will follow the tikanga of the producer or company I’m working with. However if I feel uneasy or not comfortable with tikanga or the process presented I will approach the appropriate person and share my feelings. 1) Do I use cultural protocols in my arts practice? Yes I do. 2) What do I use? a)Wananga- noho tahi in the beginning of a production. b)Mihimihi, whakatau, whakawhanaungatanga, kai tahi. In the case of workshops, and whakanoa, sharing of kai. c) Karakia (non-Christian) and waiata are always part of the process, to start and end the day or evening depending on the schedule. d) End of season- whakangahau (wrap party that includes kai, drinks, dancing and singing) e) We do make the work during this process (haha) this includes creative team, cast, producer, director, composer and venue manager. 3) How does the protocols impact on the process and performances? Its awesome, especially if you start with a noho tahi at the beginning of a production, as it’s a great way to bring the team and kaupapa together. It usually carries through the rehearsal, into the actual show, and wrap. It’s a great process, when you work with other groups that don’t have similar tikanga or protocols you can definitely feel the difference. I think this informs question 4! 5) Is it easy to implement in venues? I have had to tell venues how I we will be working in the space so they are included. Acknowledging the space is the first call when arriving into a building that is housing our production. This is done by bringing everyone into the space / theatre, including staff that are working in the venue, making a circle, doing a mihi to the whare, karakia, mihimihi and whakawhanaungatanga. 6 ) Would I like to implement other protocols that I have not yet incorporated in my work? I think it is good to have good rapport with venue, crew, cast, producer, creative team, front of house, other cultures so that this is all created during the process Matariki Whatarau - Actor - Theatre / Television, Member of Modern Maori Quartet Kia Ora Nathan. I hope this email finds you happy and healthy. Again, I’m sorry for taking ages to get back to you. We’ve been doing a 6 week residency down in Queenstown so my head space has just been in the creative and performative realms. Thanks for your provocation though. I’ve had a whakaaro about this and I’d like to reply from the point of view of The MMQ as this has been, predominantly, my mahi for the last 5 years. I hope this is ok for you. Thanks for sending through some guideline questions too. To stop me from Waffling on and going off track, I‘ll stick to those. 1) Do you use any cultural protocols in your arts practice? We, The Modern Māori Quartet, consider ourselves a Māori entertainment company. This is, on the most part, due to our value base of Whanaungatanga, aroha and tikanga. The practice of tikanga Māori or cultural protocols is not just something we do, rather it is part of what defines us and makes us unique as Māori arts practitioners. 2) What specific protocols you utilise? (e.g Karakia, welcoming pōwhiri, farewell poroporoaki etc) -We Karakia for safe passage into whatever the near future holds; whether that be before stepping out on stage, or walking onto a plane or starting a day on the rehearsal room floor. -In terms of welcoming new people into our whānau, a Pōwhiri is probably a bit too formal for our little rōpu. But whenever we have someone new join the whānau, we will always Whakatau them in. -Wherever in the world we may be, there is always an acknowledgement or mihi to the haukāinga, the Whare that houses us, the whenua we stand on and any kind of whakapapa links we may have to the place and people. -The formalities of a proporoaki aren’t necessary in our mahi and scale but closing up/finishing the mahi and acknowledging the end in some way is very vital. We usually do this in the form of a karakia whakakapi and/or a waiata. 3) How do these cultural protocols impact the overall development process of the work and final performances being created? Whakawhanaungatanga connects everyone with each other and the place we’re at. A whakatau or pōwhiri puts everyone on an even playing field uniting us as we embark on the same journey, that being the creation of a show. Karakia protects us on that haerenga 4) Do these protocols help serve to unify members of the cast and overall production? For the members of the company who are Māori, these protocols are a reminder of who we are, where we come from and what we’re here to do. For the non Māori members of the whānau, it’s a way they can relate to us and all that māoritanga can offer. To hongi and kai together makes us one and noa with each other. In other words, we’re unified to mahi on. 5) Is it easy to implement other protocols that you haven’t yet incorporated into your work? As Māori we’re really good at finding time and space for protocols to take place. We’re also not shy in sharing these with whoever and wherever we are in the world. So if we were to add more tikanga into what we do, it’d be a very easy and natural thing to grow in the everyday workings of our company. 6) Would you like to implement other protocols that you haven’t yet incorporated into your work? Where we’re at at the moment, with our use of protocols is sufficient to our needs. We have a cultural adviser who travels most places with us. He is able to step in and help if we are ever in a situation where further mātauranga is needed. He’s not there to carry us when we’re in out of our depth though. We strongly believe, as a Māori company, we all have a responsibility to uphold our protocols, but sometimes guidance is needed and we’re fortunate enough to have people in our whānau who we can call on for this kind of support. 7) Would a Cultural Protocols Guide be useful in your future arts practice? For the MMQ, we’re very hands-on and rather than read about tikanga, we’d want people to experience it first hand. If the guide came in the form of a noho marae and wānanga, then that would be the best way for those not so familiar with cultural protocols to understand them. Che Nathan. I hope this is helpful for you. Good luck in your further writing for this project. Ngā mihi mahana ki a koe, e hoa. Matariki Trae Te Wiki Actress and Theatre Director / Producer Whānau and whanāungatanga is such a key part of my performance process and ultimately just being Māori in general. I don't think twice about making sure that everyone is catered to in the rehearsal space even if it wasn't part of the day's plan. For example I love to enter the performance space when there is a commitment to manaakitanga through serving enough kai and kapu ti etc - whatever is required to make sure everyone to feels loved and appreciated even when people just bowl on up that you weren't expecting. It's the Māori way - making sure that everyone feels comfortable. Whānaungatanga really impacts the entire creative process and essentially takes the performance journey forward especially keeping the cast closely bonded. This is especially the case when the cast is all living together when on tour. The relationships that get built up in the arts can be profound especially with the way that we open ourselves up to each other as a show develops through its performance season. It gives us the confidence in each other's ability and enables us to ad lib in performances as necessary to help keep the material fresh. I love that opportunity to really bounce off another practitioner's energy. Thus creating the space where all this collaborative energy gets a chance to safely merge with each other is a big part of my journey in Māori theatre in particular. Karakia is also an important part of this process to help set the focus and mindset for the day but my knowledge of tikanga Māori is ultimately limited to the use of just the more well known prayers. Thus I will only use a karakia I know intimately well so that I feel comfortable and confident doing so. This is important to me as it is a process of empowering myself as a Maori and as a performer. Thus there will be times when I am called upon to do a prayer before rehearsal starts because no one else has the knowledge or capacity to do so, but I might not feel completely comfortable doing so. Therefore the use of tikanga to me is a matter of capacity especially when working outside of a Māori theatre environment which was the case when I was working for the Pop Up Globe. Tikanga is therefore all about empowering and making sure that I as a perfomer is feeling confident and strong. Amanda Hereaka - Taki Rua Productions and Independent Producer / Performer 1. Use of Cultural Protocols in Arts Practice Yes!!!!!! Especially when working at Taki Rua, but these practices have followed and informed the way I have produced other events or they way I have worked for other organizations. 2. Specific Protocols Mihi whakatau, powhiri, karakia, blessing of venue 3. Impact of development and final performances I found mihi/powhiri an effective way of bringing people together at the start of the process – especially in development or at the start of the rehearsal period. Also blessing the space before packing in – it was an opportunity to connect with local iwi who would guide us through the process, as well as providing a way of focusing on the space we were in, making it ours. Often those who worked at the venue would join us and it would lay the path to make it easier for us to be able to approach staff and work together, especially overseas. 4. Ability to Unify and have an Impact on Cast YES 5. Implementation in venues Never had an issue when we requested a blessing, or holding out the audience until we welcomed them in. 6. Other protocols to include None that I can think of 7. Would a Cultural Protocol Guide be useful Yes, I think it would Arohanui Amanda xx Reuben Butler - Actor and Musician Tikanga is a huge part of my performance process and I try to make a lot of effort to learn different karakia to grow my knowledge and expand my capacity to help hold the performance space, especially if I'm the most experienced in the room in these matters. The prayers are all about grounding myself, initially as a performer, and then extending this sense of being to the rest of the group I am performing with. Therefore I will normally do a prayer before and after the working day. Not everyone I have worked with is naturally aware of this cultural process, especially when I am working for an entity such as the Pop Up Globe, but I still find it necessary to instill practices of karakia to make sure the group is safe, even if it is just at the end of the performance before everyone is about the go home. The key to me is doing the process and communicating to everyone what I am doing and why. One other process I do is to sweep the floor of the performance space before we start rehearsal or a show. It's a practice that also helps to whakanoa the space, grounding all the energy and making it ready for the theatrical collaboration that is about to ensue. I will always explain to others why I am doing this as well so that they are aware of the process and why. The idea of whānau is also key, and I will be the first to embrace my work colleagues upon meeting them for the first time whatever culture they are from to try and make them feel welcome in my performance space. Sometimes when working at the Pop Up Globe my international collaborators will feel somewhat shy as I go to hug them as they are not used to such open heartedness, but by the end of the performance season everyone seems to take on this aspect of my culture as the aroha flows through the group. It really adds to the overall experience shared by all and enables us to grow as performers as we bounce of each other's openness in the collaborative process. Albert Belz - Playwright Kia ora bro, Lovely to hear from you. All well at this end, and hoping things are well at your end. Love this new project your doing. TBH it's been really hard for me to answer this. Mostly because as much as I respect these protocols, I have very little patience when it comes to sitting through them, so try to avoid them if possible by turning up late to functions etc. I've NEVER been one for any form of 'this stuff’ which annoyed my very Catholic parents no-end – on the upside I do get a lot of day-dreaming done on these occasions. But mostly, I let others handle all the boring cultural ‘pomp and ceremony’ stuff that gets in the way of me producing work faster. I have a lack of patience and focus that turn traditions like powhiri and prayer into painful trials; like I’m a five-year-old boy sitting at a table of awesome desserts to scoff, but have been ordered to eat a bucket-full of horrible healthy greens first. As an adult, I of course respect these traditions, and as a Maori even expect them to happen. But they annoy the hell out of me. In answer to the q's: 1. I put up with as little protocol and tradition as I can get away with. 2. I only utilize protocol to appease the sensitivities of others who seem to 'need' and appreciate them. 3. As little as possible if I have my way. 4. Yes, but nothing a good drinking session wouldn't also solve. 5. Mixed success depending on venue and location. It's no biggie to me 6. God no. 7. Definitely! Absolutely! As aware as I am of my own distaste of protocols, tradition etc, I also accept that most individuals seem to need and appreciate them more than I. Hence, I try not to get in the way of it when it is happening. Hope this helps bro. Albert Belz Toa Waaka - Film and Theatre Practitioner and Tribal Rangatira I believe it is important from a Māori perspective to come from a strengths placed base, not a deficit model when approaching consideration of the aforementioned questions. If we must strive to increase the empowerment of both Māori and non Māori to converse, discuss exercise and normalise use of a tikanga framework within the theatre community, this can only enrich our performance art cultural responsiveness. Arguably, some will feel this tikanga stuff is too clunky, or a time waster. My personal response to that would be, they lack an appreciation for what many before us have fought so hard to give what we have today. For Māori theatre, the stage continues to represent one of the last bastions for tino rangatiratanga (undisputed chieftain autonomy) as a movement of Māori theatre practitioners making a political stand on the stage where theatre has, "..been used as an instrument of resistance"[1]to improve the saturation of ethnic representation in what was historically a very western theatre system. In this modern context we have now moved some distance in exercising tikanga to now affirming and evolving the right (tika) protocols necessary to not only to empower tangata whenua but also enhance the mana of all other participating cultures. While tikanga may differ and change across the nation or the world for that matter, a process of doing things correctly will always be relevant to all involved from a Māori world view. Most ethnicities share what can be described as an Ethno Cultural Empathy, or an appreciation for protocols exercised here in Aotearoa by the indigenous culture. Likened to what is described in the basic template of a pōwhiri, Tangata Whenua / Mana Whenua are always acknowledged first, and this should intrinsically prevail while gaining input from other cultural ethnicities. I would even assert that Māori should take a lead in the discussion and development of a Tikanga framework. The powhiri and whakatau are meant to be uplifting and unifying processes, where Māori protocol is exercised to affirm with a tribe's mana. In powhiri it is therefore important to learn who exactly is in the manuhiri group, in the off chance that one of the visiting members has the same tribal affiliation as the hosting rōpu (group). Mana whenua who are within the visiting group will at least need to be acknowledged by the tangata whenua so as to not cause embarrassment through ignorance, but also to ensure a returning hau kainga is given the opportunity to rejoin on the tangata whenua side before the welcome commences. Because of this, it is good to send forth a memo to ask firstly whether the theatre has its own whakatau or powhiri protocol, supported or developed by the local iwi authority and who they are. Historical acknowledgements of those who work there, have worked there or even who the local iwi (tribe) are, can also be gleaned from prior research. The letter needs to stipulate polite requests such as 'Would you mind if we did that.' - 'If you need help to find someone to help run that for you - we can help you to organise...' . Simultaneously, it is important to acknowledge the mana of that theatre and how it has always operated, but that you may have a process that can assist in developing a more culturally cohesive and appropriate process by maintaining a Mana enhancement approach for all. (Acknowledging those that have come before you, has always been a mark of humility and respect exercised by our pioneering Māori Theatre practitioners and tribal elders alike.) It will be imperative that a visiting theatre company utilizes the assistance of a competent orator of Te Reo Māori so the visiting group can adequately meet the standards required to respond appropriately. However, it should not be assumed upon the Tangata Whenua rōpu to provide a prescribed level of proficiency as they have the right to set the kawa and the visitors can only but uphold or offer to support in the poroporoaki - feedback discussion or in a contemporary context, an exiting survey possibly done online. In the actual powhiri - as Manuhiri, it is common to follow the basic template of greeting the creator or the kaikarakia - the one who performed the opening prayer if one was offered, the dead of the immediate area, (it is here any directors or producers who have passed on, that have contributed to this space are acknowledged), then the house or building and land outside, followed by the living faces of the tangata whenua, (the current management team) and lastly the visiting group themselves. The kaupapa they represent in the works performed are also mentioned before concluding and closing with a waiata. It is important to acknowledge the mana whenua (firstly, the tribal authority of the land, then the owners of the building) as the owners built or purchased the building and the Mana Whenua have a perpetual connection to the land and region. At the conclusion of the pōwhiri process, Theatre management could optionally reflect what tangata whenua will do in a marae context and give over the mauri to the manuhiri. The memo should also state the types of protocols that the group coming on will use while they are in the theatre. And is it okay for the group to hold the 'mauri' or life force of the space so they can take care of people who visit, especially those that come to their shows. The memo will usually consist of a 1-2 page document template) stating all the protocols that will be utilised, and needs to be sent, received, discuss, understood and signed off before completing booking the theatre. Protocols during rehearsal and performance Make sure that all involved with the theatre is involved in certain events outside of opening night so they feel included. e.g. a kai during the first welcoming day and half way through so as to show off your manaakitanga, or have an open door policy so the their workers can join you to feel a part of the whānau 'family concept. Find other ways to express manaakitanga to tech team. theatre workers and admin workers etc [1] Potiki, Roma. He Reo Hou pg 396: Merenia Gray (Dancer / Choreographer / Board of DANZ Aotearoa) Kia Nathan, It’s great you are doing this - good on Play Market commissioning you. Would be good to share your findings with DANZ and we could use as a resource. If you want me to embellish or send pictures etc. let me know. 1) Do you use any cultural protocols in your arts practice? Yes, karakia before and after the creation of a new work. So each rehearsal commences and ends with karakia. 2) What specific protocols do you utilise? (e.g karakia, {prayers} welcomes, farewells etc) Powhiri for overseas groups, with Karanga, whaikorero etc. Kowhiti Productions Ltd. from 2009 -20014 invited guests from Santa Fe, Australia, South Africa and Fiji. Some stayed on the marae at Tapu Te Ranga. Every dance show I have put on has a Poroporaki -which is a time to talk and review the process. clear the air of any issues. Food is important to break the tapu, to bring everyone back to a state of Noa. 3) How do these cultural protocols impact the overall development process of the work and final performances being created? It connects us to our Tipuna (ancestors) and brings a deeper understanding and respect of working with not only each other but our ancestors in guiding our practice. 4) Do you believe these protocols have an overall impact on the cast and production? Definitely. When dancing with Taiao Dance Theatre in the early 90’s, we had panui session, - notes and discussion which would always help enhance the overall performance. We also participated in waiata,and mau raakau with Milton Hohaia which helped build up our performance skills. There was also at the end of each show time ( Ka Huri ) for the audience to review us and ask questions. Sometimes as a dancer it was hard to sit still after a show, but it opened up the process to allow for the mauri (life force) of the work to be explored at an in-depth level. 5) Is it easy to implement these protocols in the venues that you have used in your career? Taki Rua Depot was back in the day the place for Maori dance and Theatre in Wellington in Alpha Street. It was a safe place for Maori. I have not come across another venue like it really, except for Marae and Te Pou In Auckland. Most institutions are open to Tikanga, but one needs to implement and ask and it’s not usually on the radar. Tempo Dance was especially hegemonic in its meetings. NZ Dance Company was very good at working with Powhiri and a company waiata. Atamira of course adheres to Tikanga as well. RNZB and NZSD also bring in Maori practitioners to educate and lead traditional practices when required. 6) Would you like to implement other protocols that you haven't yet incorporated into your work? I have a new work that I wish to get off the ground and it’s not registering with Pakeha Dance Companies. That is frustrating as it’s these companies that need to open up their creative repertoire to include Maori work. It would be good for all arts companies to be more aware of the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. 7) Would a Cultural Protocols Guide be useful in your future arts practice? Yes it would ! Renae Maihi - Writer and Film Maker "When shooting one of my earlier films, I came across a situation where there was no respect for the tikanga behind my filming process. Te Ao Wairua is very real to us Maori and as a result the need for prayers or karakia has to be respected, or else it can be actually quite risky for cast and crew, especially when filming serious subjects like death or tangi. There is a vital need to have a kaumatua present during the filming process to do karakia as is necessary to make sure that the project has a positive, uninterrupted flow. As we say in Maoridom 'time doesn't dictate the process - process dictates the time...' As a result, in my career I have had to fight hard for appropriate protections to be put over the work to ensure the spiritual safety for us all. We as Maori see ourselves as a 360 degree part of the world around us. We have a connection to our ancestors and to the environment and it is vital to respect this, to embody this. It ultimately shapes our work. In fact, this Maori framework is the true belly of any project - not just a tag along to slot in when suits. Calling our kaumatua, tohunga or tikanga experts simply a 'consultant' actually diminishes their mana as we need to actually take our lead from them. This is something that always needs to be clearly expressed in the projects that I am involved with. When leading a project I always adopt the whare-tapawha process. Often used in health circles the notion is applicable to all sorts of Arts processes as it embodies the 4 major parts of any project - with all its associated limbs intertwining to make everything work. There is the wairua strand which caters to the spiritual / ceremonial aspects of the project. There is the whanau strand which caters to all the relationships, especially those participating in the project not to mention their whakapapa and tribal roots - as well as those mentioned in the subject matter. All of this must be acknowledged in the process, especially if there has been past grievances in these tribes rich histories and it is thus important to be mindful of this in today's interactions to ensure a peaceful way forward. There is also the hinengaro strand relating to the mind and in some ways the intellectual property behind the project which must at all stages be respected. One can't sell the rights to their stories without taking account of the fact that many of these stories have come from our ancestors and as a result we do not own them as such, but are purely guardians or kaitiaki over them. Often signing away your rights to a story equates to giving away your land. Finally there is the tinana strand which contains all the physical aspects of a project and like a house have their different set of limbs or attachments which must all work together to keep things moving forward securely. In any one project there will be many different protocols and experts on those protocols and it is up to those involved to come together in a communal way to learn from each other as we navigate these cultural sensitivities. In New Zealand, most artists I have come across are generally aware of this. It is taught to all the European, Asian, Pacifica and Maori students that go through Toi Whakaari and in many cases is respectfully embued in our culture so that those participating naturally look to those who hold the mana in these situations and take heed of their instructions. (I doubt this occurs in places like Australia!) This knowledge penetrates our research and understanding of things and therefore has a significant impact on the work overall. For those that choose to respectfully go through the process, it will have a deep impact upon them and their overall performance and takeaway lessons as well. For many it can be life-changing. There definitely needs to be a koha protocol adapted which helps guide everyone's expectations surrounding the notion of giving. Aroha mai - Aroha atu. Even in non budgeted working roles there needs to be something offered beyond just a mere kai to make our often struggling artists benefit from some form of utu that will benefit them going into the future. It could be a script reading, or space to allow them to rehearse, anything really. These protocols should all embue the notion of manaakitanga and spread this message to all those participating so that everyone learns and is ultimately enriched by the process." Waimihi Hotere - Theatre Practitioner I think it would be useful in this kaupapa to add in a section about the value of being flexible. How anything can happen when you open a theatre up to the community. That you can't expect to invite in a Maori audience, have them enjoy being in the space, yet expect them to laugh quietly?! Or that young tamariki aren't going to turn up for a hui or performance. Things like this actually apply to all cultures but tend to be frowned upon in most theatres. Flexibility is my no.1 skill in the Arts, especially when touring. You may have organized the schedule with the right aunty and its all on but at the last minute an uncle wants to say thank you, the whānau want to sing a song, the kura does a haka and why not do a bracket while we're at it whānau??? This happens a lot so it is important for theatres especially to keep these realities of Maoridom in mind as well especially during the end of a performance when karanga and fierce haka are commonplace. And as the Director of the Byron Bay Blues Fest, Peter Noble remarked, "No one buys tickets to a Reggae concert". The same can be said about Māori buying tickets to Māori concerts. It all depends on the weather, the whānau and who they heard about it from. You might have bugger all presales but left with standing room only on the night. Not having the capacity to deal with full houses can ruin the audience experience. It's happened on many occasions where a festival has asked a Māori producer to curate a Māori Program and then the festival can't cope with the sudden rush on box office. One final note, it's also important to remember never ever to assume that the Māori that work with you don't know about you. i.e. If you're working with Māori then they are going to have networks that you are VERY unlikely to have. Rest assured, if your intentions are dodgy or have been in the past they will find out about it from some cousin's aunty or wife's nephew's girlfriend. This is because we understand whakapapa, whānau and whanaungatanga. Nearly every Māori has a connection to someone in Parliament. In the Arts, if you haven't worked with them then you're related to them Jack Gray - Artistic Director: Atamira Dance Kia ora e hoa, I have taken some time in between first reading the korero and then looking at it today to reflect some thoughts. I read the responses from the whanau first and must admit I found it interesting and fascinating and multilayered and provocative. I think there were some clear crossovers, there were some clear (and understandable) agendas, there were some unique responses (even opposition to "tikanga" is part of understanding "tikanga") and it also was interesting thinking about the "product" of each artist or organisation and how I could actually see and imagine how their work is indeed shaped by the cultural and artistic beliefs of the makers. That was good. I thought people rearranged the questions to suit them and their perspectives, and as a result we could see traditional, contemporary and global ideas coming through. I also thought there was a sensitivity to each individualised response. I do like the idea of a living online document that can be added to. But I then think - well what's the difference with social media and Facebook where every Tom, Dick and Harry can say anything they like about anything, positively or negatively? At the end of the day however, I think the most potent part of all of this is the provocation of how theatre practitioners express and experience tikanga and what it means to them. I think that the priority is not on how "others" (who are not them) will read into it to produce less colonial ways of being. That's in a sense using it. I think it should also be about the self determination of the practitioners, and seeing as it was Playmarket bringing it all together and not something that was recognised as needed in the field collectively, it does beg these questions. However, please take my comment as just candid, authentic responses - this endeavour doesn't require my sign off, but I hope in sharing, it may affirm any of the questions circulated around the ethics of what this information is and how it's used. Mauriora e hoa, nga mihi, nga manaakitanga x
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