In the heart of Tūhoe country, Wai-Oro-Ariki – Wānanga Taonga Pūoro at Te Rewarewa Marae brought together practitioners, learners and whānau for two days of sound, whakapapa, tikanga and reflection.
Hīrini (Sid) Melbourne (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu) is one of our rangatira whose life and legacy continue to guide the kaupapa of Haumanu Collective.
Te Tohu Taonga Pūoro (Level 4) is now open at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa – creating a new pathway for learners and practitioners to deepen their connection to taonga pūoro through kaupapa Māori learning.
For the first time in history, taonga pūoro will be judged as a standalone, non-aggregate category at the Tainui Waka Kapa Haka Regionals—marking a powerful shift from revival to recognition. This milestone signals not just a new addition to the stage, but the rising voice of atua, whakapapa, and mātauranga Māori carried through sound.
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.
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, practitioners, whānau, and kaiako gathered to awaken the land with orooro, harvest kawakawa, shape uku, and share deep kōrero on mātauranga Māori. A gifted pūtātara now remains on the island — a lasting symbol of reconnection, ceremony, and sound.
“Ko Tapuika te whenua, ko Tapuika te tangata, ko Tapuika te iwi.”
With these words, artist and carver Jo’el Komene grounds us in the heart of Te Takapū o Tapuika – the belly of Tapuika, honouring the land, the people, and the whakapapa that shape identity and purpose.
Held at Kirikiriroa Marae, this international taonga pūoro symposium brought together Indigenous artists and knowledge holders from Aotearoa, Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, Alaska, China, and beyond. Across five days of workshops, kōrero, crafting, and performance, we explored the living breath of our instruments and the deep relationships they carry. This was more than a wānanga — it was a movement.
Dr Awhina Tamarapa leads a bold conversation on taonga, whakapapa, and Indigenous resurgence in museum spaces.
A beautiful night of reo, waiata, and connection as Horomona and Libby stood proudly for our kaupapa at the 18th Waiata Māori Music Awards.