All Roads Lead to Ngātapa

“Tiwhatiwha te pō, ko te Pakerewha, ko Arikirangi tēnei rā te haere nei.”

“Dark, dark is the night. There is the Pakerewha. There is Arikirangi to come.”

This prophecy foretold by Toiroa in 1766 about the arrival of foreigners to this land is a weary tale of a people driven into darkness by strangers.

Three years later, global European expansionism brought Lieutenant James Cook to Tūranganui-a-Kiwa. First contact with Rongowhakaata led to bloodshed and murder. The impacts of that encounter triggered the subsequent erosion and near total destruction of the Rongowhakaata way of life.

Despite adversity and hardship, Rongowhakaata remain steadfast and resilient.

"All Roads Lead to Ngātapa" is a devised production about Rongowhakaata art, history, survival, activism, and strength.

Rongowhakaata have always sought solace in the arts – a process of stepping into darkness, incubating, and re-emerging with discerning response. This process is key to present Rongowhakaata identity and well-being.

“It’s about celebrating who we are unapologetically. It’s about telling our story our way.”