Taane Mete (Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Koriki-Kahukura) is one of Aotearoa's most revered dancers and choreographers. He also teaches yoga. Mete and fellow dancer Nancy Wijohn (Te Rarawa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Whaoa and Ngāti
Taonga: dancer, yoga teacher Taane Mete on his treasure, a boar tusk
Taane Mete - dancer, choreographer and yoga teacher - talks about his taonga, which once belonged to his father. Photo / NZ Herald/ Alex Burton
!["I lived my life to the very edges." Taane Mete dancer and yoga teacher/ Photo / NZ Herald / Alex Burton](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/A57JXTYKO4IVHEDERUGT36WOTI.jpg?auth=33d2882425fc4d192c4edd9241e645f9bd48df6f4cd94e2a6bedf9e9d4f92e29&width=16&height=14&quality=70&smart=true)
I give full gratitude to my parents. They worked damn hard to raise seven children. I was the baby. When I look to them now and my life as a child, everything was there. They were providers. They were a working-class family and we had a simple life but there were basic tools that helped us.
My dad passed away when I was 15. My mum passed away in 2015. They were very interesting times because I realised I am "it", so to speak.
I feel full now. I have children of my own and there is so much to look forward to.
I'm on a slow burn upwards, rising. It's not about taking off the cape to rest. Hell no.
My kids are 29 and 32 now. I was pretty young when I had them. I was a dad at 21 - a child bringing up a child. It gives you something. What I've learned about having my kids is it's not just about me. The life of a dancer is at times very solo and it's not - it can't be - when you have children. They keep it real.
I went to visit my son the other day - it was so good to see him and his wife. We had some lunch and, my bad, I bought pies. My son said, "Dad, I can't eat meat." I said, "Okay cool, I'll have them." Just your standard mince pies. His wife had the cake I brought and he had the vegetarian quiche. And I ate the pies.
I guess I really needed to go through what I have to be where I am now. As a creative dancer I've done the time. I've done time. That has allowed me to completely deepen my anchor. The anchor of my culture. It's not that I didn't connect to my culture when I was young but I was out, living life to the edge. I was exploring my edges and boundaries and I really "went there" in terms of work, lifestyle. I had jobs that were plentiful and abundant and I've never needed for money and I've been absolutely broke-arse. Scraping pennies. But it's when I was able to stand out of myself and look at what was there and begin to harness and talk to those bits I wanted to save.
Sometimes I wake up and think, just take one step at a time. I am also my worst enemy. I'm learning to let go of this high-achiever syndrome.
Yoga and dance converge in a natural way, at this stage of my career. It feels good to me. The way that I apply my mahi, my work, the connections I make, everything is drawn from the whenua (land), Papatūānuku (earth mother), Ranginui (sky father) creation stories. I'm not going to say it feels easy, but I'm more connected to it - my culture. There are deep connections and I allow it to flow. It sounds really corny but I feel as if I am a vessel and I'm staying true.
![Taane Mete dances in the Lisa Reihana installation, Ihi, at Auckland Art Gallery. Photo / NZ Herald / Alex Burton](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/FWA4ZIMNZTPH4CHZNKTYX3FCPM.jpg?auth=eb7f01d73920bfd666392dbf0716ecda98efa94efcf4d89136a0be181d28a574&width=16&height=24&quality=70&smart=true)
I've had to let go. What I have is enough. Trust that and all the creative aspects come through. Dance, choreography, artist, yoga teacher. A father! When I pass on my taonga, it will go to my moko.
Ihi [at Auckland Art Gallery] is such a wonderful work because it transcends time - the scale is amazing - and it's the ancient mixed with contemporary technology. It's made me realise how powerful the Māori creation story is. There is a beginning - mother earth and the sky father - and everything else in between is creative space. It's endless. I can draw a little seed from anywhere within that realm.
As told to Sarah Daniell
For details on Tanne Mete's next retreat visit taanemete.com/