Te Tangi A Te Tūī Takes Flight On Te Ika-A-Māui Tour

This August, the powerful theatrical experience Te Tangi a Te Tūī will soar across Aotearoa for a much-anticipated Te Ika-a-Māui tour. Presented by Te Pou Theatre and The Dust Palace, in association with PANNZ (Performing Arts Network of New Zealand), this groundbreaking work brings together the resonance of te reo Māori storytelling and the visceral beauty of circus.

Following its international premiere in Vancouver and an acclaimed Aotearoa season at Te Pou Theatre during Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki, Te Tangi a Te Tūī now travels to five North Island centres, inviting audiences across the motu to experience a work that is visually arresting, emotionally stirring, and deeply rooted in te ao Māori.

Co-written by longtime collaborators Amber Curreen (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Roroa) and Tainui Tukiwaho (Te Arawa, Tūhoe), the work fuses kapa haka, acrobatics, and breathtaking aerial artistry to tell a story of reclamation, remembrance and return.

Tūī soaks up the world around it & responds in song. Though beautiful, his tune now is a faint echo of what it once was when Aotearoa was blanketed in the ngāhere, flutes of patupaiarehe filled the trees & Māori alone walked gently upon their mother.

Drawing together kaupapa Māori storytelling and contemporary cirque, Te Tangi a Te Tūī unfolds as an evocative meditation on identity and resilience, in the face of colonisation. The result is a dazzling synthesis of form and meaning – at once poetic, political, and unforgettable.

Performed entirely in te reo Māori, the production surrounds audiences with the richness of the language and its cultural resonance. Those who are fluent or on their te reo Māori journey will enjoy the full immersion experience. Those with limited knowledge of te reo Māori and wishing to engage more deeply will be provided with a full English-language synopsis and radio play upon booking. This ensures the work remains accessible to all, allowing audiences to connect with the performance at whatever level suits them.

“Te Tangi a Te Tūī is about our collective remembering,” says co-writer and co-director Tainui Tukiwaho. “It’s about reclaiming language, whakapapa and the stories that have been waiting patiently for us to return to them. And we’re doing it in a way that celebrates Māori innovation, power and wairua.”

Producer Rachael Dubois (The Dust Palace) echoes this sentiment: “This work lives at the intersection of everything we love – high-calibre physical performance, kaupapa Māori storytelling, and deep collaboration. It’s an incredibly special show, and audiences who see it are going to be moved, challenged, and inspired.”

“A masterclass in kaupapa Māori storytelling and physical theatre… unlike anything else on the Aotearoa stage.” — Theatreview

“Visually spectacular and emotionally resonant. The standing ovation was immediate and well deserved.” — NZ Herald

“A transformative, deeply moving experience. The power of te reo Māori and circus together is breathtaking.” — Radio New Zealand

This collaboration between Māori-led performing arts company Te Pou Theatre and contemporary circus innovators The Dust Palace, Te Tangi a Te Tūī is supported by PANNZ as part of its mission to bring bold, original Aotearoa stories to communities around the country.

Amber Curreen, co-writer and co-director, is a driving force in Māori theatre and a champion of kaupapa Māori creative leadership. As Pou Whakahaere of Te Pou Theatre, she has led the development of numerous new works and initiatives. Tainui Tukiwaho, also co-writer and co-director, brings over 20 years of stage and screen experience to the project, with a reputation for fearless storytelling and uplifting Māori voices.

With its soaring physicality, poetic power and fierce cultural heart, Te Tangi a Te Tūī is a landmark work of Aotearoa theatre. A celebration of whakapapa, te taiao, and the enduring voice of our tūpuna, this is a story that calls us home.

Tickets go on sale in May. Visit www.tetangi.show for booking details and resources.
pannz.org.nz

Tauranga 
Baycourt Community and Arts Centre
Wednesday 6 – Thursday 7 August
www.baycourt.co.nz

Rotorua
Sir Howard Morrison Centre
Sunday 10 – Monday 11 August
sirhowardmorrisoncentre.co.nz

Taranaki
TSB Showplace
Thursday 14 - Friday 15 August
tsb-showplace

Whangārei
Forum North
Tuesday 19 - 20 August
Forum-North

Kerikeri
Turner Centre
Friday 22 - Saturday 23 August
www.turnercentre.co.nz

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