Realm of Tears

Image by Alylai Flynn

Created and performed by Rewa Fowles (She/They) queer Māori and Pākehā multidisciplinary artist

Directed and choreographed by Renee Wiki (She/Her) (Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Kūki Āirani, NZ European Descent).

REALM of TEARS is an ethereal space carved out by a takatāpui Māori, where the marginalised are invited to unapologetically feel, express, and thrive.

Realm of Tears navigates sex and pleasure, trauma responses, therapy, re-indigenising mental health care, embracing spirituality through te ao Māori, queer identity, and growing up in many different cultures. Through a multidisciplinary format predominantly in dance and poetry. Rewa created a world where the marginalised, especially takatāpui Māori, can feel, reflect, and release all our emotions with no whakamā (shame) or judgement. Where you don’t have to be perfect, be a tangiweto (a sook/sensitive), indulge in feeling sexy, to laugh at our intrusive thoughts, to rage, to feel lost, while also have compassion, empathy and responsibility for ourselves. Since in our current reality of capitalism, it is rare to find space or time to embrace and navigate all these emotions and sensations. The show is physically designed to look and feel like you have stepped into another realm that is almost ethereal, where suddenly you are allowed to have emotions and be on a journey of sensations.

Takatāpui Paraerae Raranga Wananga - Ahi Nyx

Ahi Nyx created Takatāpui Paraerae Raranga Wananga to allow space for connection with takatāpui youth in Ōtautahi and Tāmaki Makaurau to share in creating the Māori sandal, while decolonising the way we think about our past.

You can support them at: @ahi_nyx on Instagram and their shop here. 

Utu Ā Matimati

Utu Ā Matimati is a takatāpui arts collective in Aotearoa aiming to decolonise the art world by showcasing and sharing the works of queer Māori creatives.

Their first issue of their zine aimed to highlight the artists and stories they want to share, with the pieces expressing parts of who they are, identity, and whakaaro. In future, they want to pair up similar artist profiles and creatively combine their works into collage style edits that compliment the various works.

In very exciting news, Utu Ā Matimati have since received funding from the Rule Foundation to go towards a brand new studio space!

You can support their kaupapa through https://utuamatimati.com/ or on Instagram @utu_a_matimati

Takatāpui & Indigenous LGBTQI+ Wānanga Kirikiriroa

We were honoured to fund a 2-day noho marae Takatāpui & Indigenous LGBTQI+ wānanga in Kirikiriroa Hamilton. The wānanga and workshops facilitated by pūkenga from our community included Mana Aute, reindiginising sexuality and wellbeing, Queer Indigenous Joy, and Mātauranga Māori philosophy” (Benjamin Doyle, 2022).

Home Sweet Home - a r a p e t a

"Home Sweet Home is a queer ontological experiment by multidisciplinary creative Arapeta that pulls together a plush collection of deeply considered movements, experiences and koorero, together into a new landscape in which dance, song, koorero, kapa haka and whatu kaakahu all come together to generate wholly new environment, with a foundational purpose of pure enjoyment. Like seafoam, churned up from the colliding of waves and tides, the birth of an entirely fresh experience can build outwards towards new discoveries" (Divyaa Kumar, 2022).

Te Tīmatanga

As stated on Auckland Pride:

“Te Tīmatanga is Auckland Pride’s Takatāpui offering within the Festival. This Rangatahi led public art & digital festival, looks to celebrate the legacy, resilience, talents and nuanced lived experiences of Aotearoa’s Kāhui Takatāpui.”