HAKA ON THE HORIZON Mäori contemporary dance and whare tapere Ojeya Cruz Banks* Abstract The founding of the esteemed Atamira Dance Company (ADC) in 2000 signified a new wave of Mäori dance, integrating cultural strengthening with innovation. For instance, the distinguished and founding members of the ADC, Louise Potiki Bryant and Jack Gray, seized the opportunity to collaborate with the inspirational scholar Te Ahukaramü Charles Royal. This paper provides a glimpse into their combined efforts towards developing the breadth and depth of haka through their contribution to the whare tapere recovery. Principles and qualities of human–land synergy and the water deity Hineruhi informed the research; the cultural work reveals the experimental horizons of what Royal (2012) calls expressions of “new indigeneity”. The invigoration of haka within the whare tapere tradition has stimulated creative direction for Mäori contemporary dance. Unique works by Potiki Bryant and Gray illuminate momentums of Mäori contemporary dance in Aotearoa New Zealand. Keywords Mäori contemporary dance, haka, somatics, whare tapere, whakaahua, Pacific Island dance Introduction has created an impressive legacy of innova- tive dance- making committed to evolving The Atamira Dance Company (ADC, formally Mäoritanga. An important turning point for known as the Atamira Dance Collective) the company was when founding member and * Chamoru (Guåhan)/African American. Senior Lecturer, Te Kura Parawhakawai/School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, Te Whare Wänanga o Otago/University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Email: Ojeya.cruzbanks@ otago.ac.nz DOI: 10.20507/MAIJournal.2017.6.1.5 62 O. CRUZ BANKS award- winning choreographer Louise Potiki 2015, p. 89; see also Sciacsia, 2013; Zaitz, Bryant (Käi Tahu) and esteemed scholar and 2009). They are director of Manu Atarau at Te Papa museum Dr Te Ahukaramü Charles Royal (Ngäti Raukawa, a pan- iwi collective of artists, their movement Ngäti Tamaterä, Ngä Puhi) began a research vocabulary includes Mäori archetypes and collaboration into the roots of haka in 2005. elements, ballet, and contemporary techniques Founder of the ADC, Jack Gray (Ngäti Porou, coupled with influences from sport, hip hop, Ngä Puhi, Te Rarawa), also played a key role and yoga. They have regular national tours in the investigations. This paper examines how and perform across the Pacific, Asia, and the their research alliance and efforts have yielded United States, and are reputed for their cut- rich conceptual resources for evolving theories ting edge approaches to performance and for and practices of Mäori dance. The impetus for their commitment to telling important Mäori this study was Royal’s (1998) doctoral thesis stories. (Cruz Banks, 2015, p. 41) that focused on weaving together the frag- ments of knowledge about the whare tapere, an The following section will outline the sig- institution that fell out of practice in the 19th nificance of ADC and the importance of century due to colonialism, lifestyle changes contemporary Pacific dance in Aotearoa New and Christian conversion (Royal, 2007). Whare Zealand and beyond. The debates and tensions tapere “were pä- based houses of storytelling, entailed in the term “contemporary” are dis- dance, music and games. They were a tradi- cussed; the methodology is described; and the tional Mäori venue where entertainment and background story of whare tapere revival and fun was actively pursued” (Potiki Bryant, 2014, haka redefining by Royal, Potiki Bryant and p. 6). Gray is provided. Political and cultural implica- Royal’s (1998) thesis catalysed the revival tions as well as motivations behind the recovery of this tradition and the founding of the char- are mentioned. Finally, how the whare tapere itable trust Örotokare: Art, Story, Motion, principle of whaakahua inspires somatic exer- which specialises in invigorating Mäori and cises and philosophies of performance through Indigenous knowledge through the performing the embodiment of human–land synergy and arts. For over 15 years, Royal and Potiki Bryant the deity Hineruhi is analysed. have led a continuous exploration of the line- age of the haka within whare tapere tradition. This has inspired new creative directions for The rise of Mäori contemporary Mäori contemporary dance and for the ADC. dance Two examples of Mäori contemporary dance informed by the oral history and principles of Established in 2000, ADC is reputed for pro- whare tapere include Potiki Bryant’s devel- ducing very powerful choreography relevant to opment of an Indigenous somatic approach their whänau and to the wider sociopolitical that connects the body, mind and spirit and and (post)colonial context of the nation. The Gray’s acclaimed dance performance Mitimiti company asserts the important voice of Mäori in about his ancestral homeland in the Hokianga. Aotearoa, and their experimental performances Achievements of these dancers provide a win- aim to respect and advance understandings of dow into why the company is a “leading creator their cultural heritage (M. Patterson, personal and presenter of Mäori contemporary dance communication, February 13, 2009). The literal theatre” (ADC, n.d.). The company is “con- meaning of “atamira” is “stage” and another sidered a major player in the ‘coming of age’ meaning of the word is “platform for the dead of contemporary Mäori dance” (Bradshaw, body and the process of caring for those who MAI JOURNAL VOLUME 6, ISSUE 1, 2017 HAKA ON THE HORIZON 63 have died” (ADC, 2009). “Our work is about who have contributed to the shared momen- life, death and genealogy; our company repre- tum and spectrum of Indigenous contemporary sents diverse Mäori people,” said Jack Gray dance include Charles Koroneho, Moana (J. Gray, personal communication, February Nepia, Täne Mete and Tai Royal (Okareka 12, 2009). Many of the founding members no Dance Company), Tanemahuta Gray, Merenia longer dance or perform with the company as Gray, Tru Paraha and Cat Ruka. Samoan New they have moved on to new endeavours, and Zealand choreographers have established inter- current artistic director Moss Patterson (Ngäti nationally celebrated companies such as Black Tüwharetoa) has updated the mission statement Grace and Mau Company. The organisation in order to highlight a different tenor that is Pacific Dance New Zealand, led by Eosefa Enari developing in the company. However, their and Aaron Taouma, should also be mentioned. work still chronicles the tribulations, mysteries, This backdrop reveals a collective force of seasons and celebrations of life in Aotearoa, Mäori and Pacific Island contemporary dance and the group remains a platform for dancers artists surrounding the ADC, and together they and choreographers to explore Mäoritanga are developing insight into culture, identity, (Horsley, 2009). Indigenous creative processes, and knowledge- The ADC is a salient flashpoint for New making through dance. Zealand’s dance history and the nation’s The term “contemporary dance” is problem- world reputation for developing remarkable atic for several reasons. “Contemporary” is a Indigenous performing arts. Converging tikanga Western cultural construct that is often assumed Mäori with cultural renaissance and inventive- to be divorced from tradition or heritage ness, their work activates Mäori ways of seeing (Bradshaw, 2015; Gray, 2015). Pacific Island and creating knowledge (Cruz Banks, 2010, dance scholar Adrienne Kaeppler (2004) has 2015; Potiki Bryant, 2014; Shea Murphy & insisted that there is a need to acknowledge the Gray, 2013). Historically, Indigenous contem- mutuality between tradition and contemporary porary dance in Aotearoa has been a platform dance expression. Both senior choreographers for equally embracing ancestral wisdom, inno- and mentors for the ADC, Stephen Bradshaw vation and interculturalism, in addition to and Charles Koroneho have said they are not challenging dominant narratives in order to comfortable with the descriptor “contempo- move past them. For instance, the ADC fol- rary”. Bradshaw (2015) favours “continuum lowed in the footsteps of the 1980s Taiao Dance Mäori dance” because it implies an ancestral Theatre led by Stephen Bradshaw, a troupe past (p. 79); however, at the same time he realises that could be called the first wave of Mäori the word “contemporary” has currency within contemporary dance because they laid the foun- the global dance industry. Koroneho prefers the dation for conceptual and cultural protocols. words “Indigenous performance” or “haka” Bradshaw, along with other Taiao members, to describe evolving Mäori dance (Maraetv, pioneered a kaupapa Mäori dance that aims 2013). He has a point because as Karetu (1993) to “acknowledge whakapapa or ancestral past notes, haka is a general name for Mäori dance, within a changing world” (Bradshaw, 2015, which is “comprised of both physical and spir- p. 80). In addition, during Bradshaw’s leader- itual aspects” (Matthews, 2004, p. 10). Haka is ship and liaison work within the Auckland City often described as a posture dance accompanied Council and Toi Mäori Aotearoa, he contrib- by chanted or shouted song and performed uted to the professional development of the by groups of men, and increasingly today by ADC through his guidance on performance groups of men and women. One of the main proposals, budgets, timelines, securing fund- characteristics of haka, according to Matthews ing, and other matters. Other Mäori artists (2004), is that the actions involve all parts of MAI JOURNAL VOLUME