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November 14, 2024
New book celebrates 50+ years of Aotearoa performing arts
Atereano Mateariki
Posted On November 14, 2024
Download AudioA new pukapuka explores the influence of waiata Māori on New Zealand performing arts.
Resetting the Coordinates is an anthology celebrating over 50 years of performance art in Aotearoa, showcasing how New Zealand artists use this medium to explore social and political issues, often engaging with themes of space, body, and cultural identity.
Editor Layne Waerea from Te Whare Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makaurau AUT says the 1990s was a pivotal time of influence for waiata Māori, with artists incorporating and shaping their pieces through waiata Māori.
“You’ve got Rachel Rakena, who created this wonderful video work which was addressing not only environmental issues in Ōtepoti but also how that could be conveyed in a beautiful video setting. You’ve also got artist Charles Koroniho, whose performance work was informed by rituals that tend to the body and in particular the cleansing ritual of pure,” says Waerea.
Waerea says the book highlights performance works rooted in te ao Māori as both authentic and blended in nature.
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