Pūkana! Te Ihi Te Wehi Te Wana: Moments In Māori Performance

Pukana - Te Ihi, Te Wehi, Te Wana Moments in Māori performance. Celebrate Māori performance and performers across time and genres.

14 September - 23 May 2020 in the National Library Gallery.

Pūkana is the first of two exhibitions marking the centenary of the Turnbull Library and will run from 16 September until 23 May 2020.

There is a suite of events that are part of the Pūkana exhibition, please see the National Library website for more details.

Pūkana — what the dictionaries say
He Pātaka Kupu
Ka whakarahi i ngā karu, ka whātero te arero, ka whakakotikoti i te kanohi i runga i te ihi, te wana, te riri, te whakatoi, te ngahau, te aha atu. He Pātaka Kupu
Te Aka
(verb) to stare wildly, dilate the eyes — done by both genders when performing haka and waiata to emphasise particular words and to add excitement to the performance. Te Aka.

Awe-inspiring Māori performances across time.

He mōhio a ngāi Māori katoa ki te waiata, ki te whakatangi i te rakuraku?
Kei tēnei whakakitenga ētahi tāngata Māori kaha ki aua mahi, engari tērā noa ake te hōhonu, te whānui o te ao waiata, haka a te iwi Māori.

Tomo mai, titiro ki ētahi o ngā tino mahi whakangahau a te iwi Māori mai o mua ki nāianei – mai i ngā pūrākau mō te pūtake o te ao, o te tangata, tae noa mai ki ngā kaiwaiata taiohi o ēnei rā e tipiwhenua nei hei mīharotanga mā ngā iwi o te ao.

Can all Māori sing and play the guitar?
This exhibition shows Māori who do just that — but the world of Māori performance is so much more.
Come and experience the many awe-inspiring Māori performances across time – from origin stories, right up to today’s young performers taking the world by storm.