Whakapaupakihi is one of the world's first reo Māori musicals

The Tuari whānau (from left) Tame-Hoake, Hamiora, Ani-Piki and Tatana who have created the world’s second Māori musical. Picture by Erica Sinclair

The story of how Whakapaupakihi came to be is almost as stunning as the musical itself, which is a beautifully told journey of discovery, history and the region.

When the four Tuari siblings (Te Aitanga ā Hauiti, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau ā Apanui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine, Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Tūhoe) set about to create a musical for their own tamariki, never did they imagine it would become on of the world’s first reo Māori musicals. Whakapaupakihi is part of Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival’s RĀ season line-up and runs from October 13-15 at the War Memorial Theatre.

It tells the epic story of three brothers and the establishment of tribal groupings spanning Te Tairāwhiti. It is set in a magical new world introducing new generations and audiences to age-old themes reconstructed for the 21st Century. It is a tale of mana, power, rivalry, love and resolve.

Tūranga had a first taste of the production in 2021 with the first reading of Whakapaupakihi, three years after they began the project. The 2023 offering is the show in its development phase and the Tuari whānau say that it has a few more iterations before its final version.

Tatana and Tame-Hoake Tuari are two of the four writers and composers of the production.

“We created this to remind everyone of how epic our ancestors and their stories are,” says Tame “and to bring to life the Māori version of the hugely popular Marvel characters for our children. This is an engaging story for our own tamariki to learn their whakapapa. It is truly a dream for us to share this.”

Whakapaupakihi revolves around the feats and history of three eponymous East Coast ancestors — Iranui’s sons Taua-i-te-rangi, Mahaki-ewe-karoro and Hauiti.

In creating the musical the Tuari siblings turned to Dr Wayne Ngata (Ngāti Ira, Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga a Hauiti) who humorously suggested they make a few changes, and rein in their poetic licence, earning himself a role as part of the production as a trusted and valued adviser.

The Tuari siblings — all of whom are classically trained musicians and exponents in kapa haka — were raised away from Te Tairāwhiti.

“We all have our areas and strengths,” says Tame. “We recognise and highlight those for each other while understanding that without each of us, we don’t have the uniqueness we want.”

Given such rich creative talent, there are certainly times when they test each other’s ideas.

“It is about listening and communication, but also putting that emotion aside and knowing what is best,” says Tatana.

“My end goal is to see more Māori stories told on the big stage and to see authentic and real Māori stories being shown on big platforms, like Disney, all around the world,” says Tatana.

“The creativity is already there,” says Tame “and the want is there. We are always going back to our kids, so they want to be Hauiti instead of Spiderman. We want to bring it back to us.”

Each of the siblings is entrenched in kapa haka — the three men are the musical creators and part of the core group for Waihīrere, while Ani-Piki is with Whāngārā-mai-Tawhiti.

“We never usually get to create all together like this so the opportunity to push kapa haka aside and create something magical for our kids is so special,” says Tame. “It came out of a space of us dreaming about doing something to this.”

Having the guidance of their uncle, Dr Wayne Ngata, had been invaluable.

“We have to remember this story could have more than one perspective,” says Tame. “We are telling it through a Hauiti centric lens, and it was Uncle Wayne who prompted us to talk to Rikirangi Gauge, Rob Ruha, and Uncle Selwyn Parata to seek some knowledge based on their version of the events.”

It was also key to let them know just what the Tuari siblings were planning.

It has really set the ball rolling — just as they had hoped, with other whānau from all over the regions wanting them to do the same for them.

“We’re setting the blueprint so those whānau can develop their own ancestral stories. The cool thing about Tairāwhiti is that there is just so much talent here,” says Tatana.

It hasn’t been without its moments, especially given building a production of this scale can be an expensive venture.

Tatana feels everyone is on a learning journey as the musical comes together.

“This isn’t your traditional musical,” he says.

And it continues to bring the best out of everyone.

“We really want our people to see their own potential — the potential to grow, and be empowered so they can push themselves in all sorts of ways,” says Tame.

The cast, while not all based locally, all have whakapapa to the region.

Growing up, their parents were — and continue to be — their biggest supporters and advocates. Mum, Angela Karini, is a trained classical and country singer, while dad, John Tuari, is a guitarist and a force in kapa haka. Music and waiata was the norm in their whare.

“It is just so exciting to see it get to this stage,” says Tatana. “We had some music before but not to this level.”

They continue to develop and grow the musical towards the development season which the brothers say has always been planned for Tūranga.

“We want to make sure the ones we are talking about see the story first,” says Tatana.

Time will tell where this beautiful production fits in the tapestry of Aotearoa, but both brothers are hoping that 20 years down the track their children’s children will have pushed it into another space and that it has created a ripple effect in creating more Indigenous stories.

The process has taught the Tuari siblings resilience, which they say is the norm in Tairāwhiti.

“It has shown me too that passion can drive anything,” says Tame.

“We have all sacrificed so much to create Whakapaupakihi but it really isn’t a sacrifice because we’ve just loved doing it. And working with each other has ultimately been the greatest gift.”

Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival chief executive and artistic director Tama Waipara is delighted to have this new phase of Whakapaupakihi in the War Memorial Theatre as part of the festival.

“It is such a thrill to still be part of the journey with this show,” he says.

“Our belief in the potential of Whakapaupakihi has never wavered, simply because it is important that our people get to tell their stories, in their own way. There will never be anything more important than that.”

Whakapaupakihi comes to Gisborne in partnership between Manatū Taonga and Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival, and presented by Piksies Melody. The musical is directed by Rutene Spooner (Ngāti Porou, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Kahungunu).

For more information head to https://tetairawhitiartsfestival.nz/