Koekoe te kōkō, e ketekete te kākā, e kūkū te kererū – He Tangi Rōreka! The tūī sings, the kākā chatters, the kererū calls – a symphony of voices, a melody of place.
From 5-9 November 2026, the Haumanu Collective hosted He Tangi Rōreka, our first International Taonga Pūoro Symposium. Based at Kirikiriroa Marae, this five-day wānanga brought together an incredible collective of taonga pūoro practitioners, Indigenous musicians, storytellers, and cultural leaders from across Aotearoa, Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, Alaska, China, and Rotuma.
With the pou of He Ara Pūoro, He Ihi Reo, He Wehi Oro, and He Wana Ora, the symposium celebrated music, mātauranga, movement, and the shared work of cultural revitalisation – in sound, action, and connection.
Wednesday - He Ara Pūoro: Our Pathway Begins
The symposium began with a pōwhiri to welcome manuhiri from around the world. After registrations and a kai, the afternoon opened with whakawhanaungatanga, getting to know each other and sharing our unique cultures.
As night fell, we were privileged to witness a mesmerising Karaitā performance of Rangi and Papa by James Webster and Hinemoa Jones. Blending theatre, taonga pūoro, karanga, and Māori cosmology, this performance set a profound tone for the days to follow. For many, it was a rare and deeply moving encounter with te ao Māori expressed through theatre and sound.
Thursday - He Ihi Reo: Voices Across Oceans
Following karakia and kai, the morning’s wānanga opened with a powerful session titled Mānava Moana, led by the collective Hikuleʻo ʻo Ono’aho, representing Tongan and Sāmoan cultural voices. The work of Hikuleʻo ʻo Ono’aho focuses on the resurgence of traditional Moana Pacific instruments – including the fangufangu (nose flute) – and honours the knowledge systems surrounding them.
Their presentation shared origin narratives, traditional functions, and the ongoing efforts to reclaim and revitalise these instruments in contemporary practice. It was a profound kōrero that spoke to the urgent need to restore what colonisation and missionary influence once diminished, and to centre Indigenous agency in the cultural futures of the Pacific.
This session gave all present an opportunity to witness the interconnectedness of our sounds across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, and the unique stories held in every breath and vibration of these taonga.
Learn more about Hikuleʻo ʻo Ono’aho and Talanoa Arts Forum at www.talanoaartsforum.ws
Next, Pamyua (Alaska) took us through Yuraq, the traditional Yup’ik practice of movement, drumming, and singing. Their generosity in sharing regalia, drums, dance fans, and stories of spiritual connection highlighted the sacred power of sound as whakapapa.
After lunch, the kaupapa turned practical again with hanga pūoro studio time, before a group travelled to Maungatautari Sanctuary for an unforgettable experience playing taonga pūoro within the ngahere. Welcomed by Bodie, the connection to te taiao was spiritual and grounding.
Evening kōrero explored the impact of taonga pūoro today, followed by jamming and crafting into the night.
Friday – He Wehi Oro: Awe in Sound
Friday expanded our cultural dialogue even further. Rotuman presenters opened the morning with stories and demonstrations of their instruments and practice. Then, the resonant strings of the Erhu (China) met taonga pūoro in a beautiful cross-cultural kōrero on how instruments tell stories.
Later in the day, we returned to studio time and a poignant whitiwhiti kōrero on Taonga Pūoro hei Rongoā – sound as medicine.
In the afternoon, breakout workshops explored instrument use and healing in more depth with Josh & Ioana, Libby & Hinemoa.
That evening, some departed for a waka and glow worm cave excursion, while others remained to continue crafting, jamming, and exchanging sounds across cultures.
Saturday - He Wana Ora: Vibrancy and Legacy
The final full day included a tidy-up and poroporoaki preparations before the culmination of the symposium: He Pō Ngahau, an epic final concert held under the māhau of the marae.
Here, newly composed waiata were performed – the fruits of days of workshops and collaboration. Practitioners shared sounds from their homelands, original compositions, and improvised performances, bringing the house alive with spirit and energy.
This night encapsulated the mauri of the whole wānanga – relational, joyful, and powerful.
Sunday - Poroporoaki: Returning with Mauri
A final karakia and breakfast wrapped the week. Though formal sessions closed, the relationships, knowledge, and taonga created will carry on – through music, performance, and ongoing connection.
Highlights and Achievements
- Four original waiata composed collaboratively
- Over 100 handcrafted taonga pūoro
- First-time cross-cultural exchanges with Tonga, Alaska, Rotuma, and China
- New international relationships with shared visions for instrument revival
He Tangi Rōreka: A Beginning, Not an End
He Tangi Rōreka affirmed the potential of taonga pūoro to heal, unite, and inspire across cultures and generations. It was a wānanga rooted in tikanga Māori but open to the world – where global voices resonated within the whare of Aotearoa.
The work of revitalisation continues, and this symposium is but the first step of many.
“This wasn’t just a symposium. It was a movement – to grow, protect, and share the breath of our ancestors, through sound.”
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