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In January 2026, taonga pūoro returned to the whenua of Mōtītī in a powerful wānanga focused on rongoā Māori and sound healing. Across three days,
Rehu are long flutes with a closed top and a transverse blowing hole, but with finger holes like the pōrutu. It’s name is an old one and suggests it was a prized embellisher of song. Rehu are similar to Pōrutu.
Friday 1st – Saturday 2nd May 2026
An immersive wānanga exploring the sounds, stories, and revitalisation of taonga pūoro, grounded in Tūhoetanga and connection to place.
Our story
Taonga Pūoro were historically used in the arts of healing and cultural ceremonies and still are today, in varying degrees. Due to historical events, there was a decline in the use and cultural practice of the instrumental traditions within Māori culture and with the knowledge base connected to it.
There has been a revival of this craft over the last 30-40 years, led by the late Hirini Melbourne, the late Richard Nunns, Brian Flintoff and Ranginui Keefe, Joe Malcolm, Clem Mellish, the late Rangiiria Hedley, Aroha Yates Smith, Hinewīrangi Kohu Morgan, Ross and Bruce Gregory, Te Miringa Hohaia and others. Haumanu has grown from these initiatives.
The group is dedicated to the revival, teaching, and sharing of these taonga. We are a newly formed rōpū of six people, are representatives of the wider rōpū, and a continuation of Haumanu.
Mandated by the broader Taonga Pūoro whānau with the support of CNZ and MCH to facilitate a Strengthening Taonga Pūoro strategy over the next three years.
The core collective are:
HAUMANU COLLECTIVE KAUPAPA
Ko ngā Taonga Pūoro te reo o te taiao. 🤎
Sound has always surrounded us.
Long before words were used to tell stories, the world was already speaking through the voices of the whenua, te taiao, and all living things within it.
Taonga Pūoro invite us to reconnect with this understanding — that sound is not simply something we create or hear, but something we belong to.
With every breath, vibration, and note, there is an opportunity to acknowledge the relationships between ourselves, our environment, and the mātauranga carried through generations.
To truly hear the *reo o te taiao*, we listen not only with our ears, but with our eyes, our hands, our feet, and our hearts. We notice the movement of the wind through the trees, the rhythm beneath our feet, the textures of the whenua, and the feeling carried within each moment. This is where true *hononga* begins.
Sometimes the deepest understanding comes not from what is spoken, but from what we make time to listen for.
📸 @danescottcreative
#HaumanuCollective #TaongaPuoro #Whenua #TeTaiao
He rongoā te oro, he rongoā ngā taonga tuku iho. 🤎
Healing can be found in many forms.
Led by Haumanu Collective members Mahina Kingi-Kaui and Libby Gray, our Ōtautahi Wānanga explored the relationship between rongoā Māori practices and taonga pūoro.
Through these teachings, participants deepened their understanding of the ways these practices nurture balance within our hauora — supporting the body, mind, wairua, and our relationship with the world around us.
Taonga pūoro is rongoā.
It restores us to balance. It is nurturing what allows us to thrive.
#HaumanuCollective #TaongaPuoro #Wānanga #Mātauranga
A glimpse into the people and the mahi during the Taonga Pūoro Makers Wānanga in Tauranga.
From the first stages of making through to the moment the taonga found its voice, each piece reflects the care, patience, and whakaaro of its maker.
#HaumanuCollective #TaongaPuoro #Wānanga
✨ Tūtaki ki a Horomona Horo ✨
Ngāti Porou, Ngā Puhi, Taranaki
He kaitito, he kaiwhakatangi taonga pūoro, he kaiwhakaako, he ringatoi hoki.
Horomona is an internationally recognised taonga pūoro practitioner, composer, musician and collaborator whose work bridges tradition with contemporary music, arts, and education.
Mentored by the late Dr Hirini Melbourne and Richard Nunns, Horomona has dedicated his career to the revitalisation and continued evolution of taonga pūoro. His practice spans performance, composition, collaboration, and teaching, sharing mātauranga from Kura Kaupapa Māori through to universities and communities across Aotearoa and overseas.
Over more than two decades, Horomona has collaborated with artists, orchestras, and creative practitioners across a wide range of genres, with performances and residencies taking him to stages and festivals throughout the world.
As part of Haumanu Collective, Horomona continues to uphold the legacy of taonga pūoro while helping shape its future through collaboration, education, and creative expression.
Through every performance, wānanga, and partnership, Horomona shares the unique voice of taonga pūoro, creating opportunities for people to connect with the stories, histories, and living traditions carried within these treasured instruments.
#HaumanuCollective #TaongaPuoro #TāMoko #Whakairo
He kaupapa ka tipu i te mahi ngātahi 🤎
Recently, Haumanu Collective had the privilege of supporting Oro Mauri Wānanga ki Karioi, a kaupapa that brought together hapori, whānau, and friends to deepen their understanding of taonga pūoro through the teachings and practices of Te Whare o Oro Mauri.
Whetu Silver is a member of both rōpu and was able to support this collaboration. It is always an honour to support kaupapa that create opportunities for people to reconnect with mātauranga Māori, strengthen their understanding of taonga pūoro, and continue the traditions that have been carried through generations.
Every wānanga is unique, shaped by the people, the place, and the kaupapa that brings everyone together. We are grateful to walk alongside organisations and communities who are committed to nurturing these spaces for learning, reflection, and growth.
#HaumanuCollective #TaongaPuoro
Ko te reo o te tangata, he taonga. 🤎
The voices and experiences of those who join our kaupapa are an important part of understanding the impact of our mahi.
Through each reflection shared, we gain insight into the ways wānanga can inspire learning, deepen understanding, and support people in their own journeys with taonga pūoro and mātauranga Māori.
Today we share the words of one participant who joined us recently.
Ngā mihi nui for trusting us with your whakaaro and allowing us to share your experience with others. 🤎
#HaumanuCollective #TaongaPuoro #Wānanga
He toi whakairo, he toi pūoro. 🤎
Our hands create more than taonga...they leave pieces of ourselves within them.
Over four days in Tauranga, participants immersed themselves in the practice of hanga taonga pūoro, choosing the taonga they felt called to create and then bringing it to life with their own hands.
Every carving, every pattern, every decision carried meaning. These aren`t simply instruments; they are taonga shaped through patience, intention, and care. Each one carries the story, whakaaro, and mauri of the person who created it, making every piece completely unique.
The finished taonga are beautiful, but it`s the journey behind each one that makes them truly special. They are reminders of time spent learning, creating with intention, and honouring the mātauranga that continues to be passed from one generation to the next.
Each taonga tells a story.
And the first chapter was written by the hands that created it.
#HaumanuCollective #TaongaPuoro #Wānanga
Before the night ends, we remember Tēnei G.O.A.T - Papa Hirini... Hari Huritau 🎉
