Autaia: Rangatahi set to shine in Haka Theatre showcase

Haka theatre returns to the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre stage on June 9.

Four hundred secondary school students will bring the Aotea Centre to life with haka for the Haka Theatre showcase Autaia.

Created by Hawaiki TŪ, in partnership with Auckland Live, Autaia celebrates the richness, diversity and importance of ngā toi Māori [Māori arts].

Tickets are now on sale for the June 9 event, which will bring together students from across Tāmaki Makaurau to perform a fusion of modern-day theatre and traditional Māori performing arts, showcasing raw talent and creative storytelling.

Creative director and lead of Hawaiki TŪ (co-creator of Autaia), Kura Te Ua, says that this is an opportunity to exhibit the unlimited potential that the combination of kapa haka and theatre can offer.

“Every school has a story that deserves to be told, as every student has a light that deserves to shine. Autaia means ‘to be extraordinary’, and this kaupapa encourages every tauira involved to step into the world of haka theatre, because on the other side waits a pathway of passion, pride and unwavering self-belief,” says Te Ua.

Tickets for Autaia go on sale Thursday, May 11.

In its third year, Autaia offers secondary school students the opportunity to gain NCEA credits specifically through the curriculum of te ao haka, drama, dance, theatre and te reo rangatira.

“Autaia supports rangatahi to become extraordinary leaders within their own communities, to create spaces to be able to tell their own stories through haka and theatre,” says Te Ua.

She works alongside schools within the Tāmaki Makaurau region, but is expecting to expand further to offer support and pathways for students in other regions.

“Beyond the necessity to create platforms for rangatahi to express their vitality and ideas of the world, we owe it to them to help build sustainable career pathways where creative arts can shape and inspire them to do the things that inspire them the most. Autaia is a powerful vehicle that teaches them about creativity, identity, resilience, wellbeing and mindset. It’s a holistic approach to empowering and educating the next generation.”

Each school will perform a 15-minute set, with rangatahi sharing their life experiences through powerful performances.

Six schools will be performing, including Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Kotuku, Ngā Puna o Waiōrea, Auckland Girls’ Grammar (Kahurangi ki Maungawhau), Manurewa High School and James Cook High School (Te Pūtake).

The one-night-only show will be held at the Aotea Centre - Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre on Friday, June 9 from 7pm - 9pm.