Wāhine Māori Artists Making their Mark in Naarm by Irihipeti Waretini
Tēnā rā tātou e te whānau ō Awa Wahine!
Ko Irihipeti tēnei, from across Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, here in Naarm (so-called Melbourne). It has been a while since I connected with you all. I’ve been steadily focused on recovering my creative practice after Covid-19 and the lockdowns. And recovered we have! Besides that, I’ve fortified an even more incredible community here through mau rākau at Te Whare Tū Taua O Te Ara Hononga and my many creative ventures. Here’s a handful of those babes who inspire me and sustain my why… “To continue to raise sovereign Indigenous babies". I asked them what their creative practice is and what they love about the creative community here in Naarm. Make sure you follow them on Instagram!
Ngā manaakitanga,
Irihipeti
Fallon Rose Te Paa @ffallonn
Nō Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whātua, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Manihiki ahau. I whānau mai au i Naarm.
I’m a singer, dancer and creative producer. Kapa haka and mau rākau are huge parts of my creative practice. Being Māori is a huge part of my creative practice. Being Māori is my creative practice.
The community here in Naarm is bursting with potential. My experience sits strongly in reconnecting with my identity and supporting kaupapa so others can do the same. Creatively, it means we get to roll together to unleash the ways we want and need to understand, share and celebrate our stories. I love that we’re celebrating who we are and remembering to bring others with us so they, too, can know. I love sharing my culture with all the other beautiful cultures here, too. It’s eclectic; it’s fun, it’s unique, it’s reclaiming, it’s reconnecting, it’s activating whakapapa, it’s developing leaders, it’s standing in solidarity with tangata whenua here. It’s loving each other. It’s health, healing, learning, and damn straight; it’s Māori!
Kaycee Marama Merito @kayceemerito
Nō Whakatane āhau, he uri āhau nō Ngāti Pukeko, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tuhoe me Ngāti Tuwharetoa. Born and raised in Naarm, Australia.
My creative practices are Māori performing arts, singing, spoken word, body movement, and mahi toi.
I love the community here in Naarm because we all connect through our different creative practices, no matter what walks of life we come from or our experiences. There’s never any judgement, only encouragement, and everyone always supports each other. It’s a whānau away from whānau.
Kuzco (Megan Christensen) @akakuzco
Ngāpuhi.
My creative practice is multi-faceted. It's fluid and encompasses performing, writing, producing, recording, listening and dancing. All of this informs my creative journey and is quintessential to my well-being.
I often find half the work is listening. Listening to music, people's stories and nature. This is how I cultivate energy and knowledge when coming to writing music. My favourite practice is coming into the studio, turning on all the instruments and listening through a few of my most recent finds. I get up and move around as I set up and often gravitate toward my synth bass and drum machines. That is always the foundation of my tracks! Chordal shapes and melodic ideas come close to the end when I feel grounded in my thoughts and stories.
The Naarm creative community is active and electric, especially after recovering from the lockdowns. People are always willing to foster your ideas and bring events to life. Performing is as fun as witnessing it here in Naarm. There is an equal amount of space for both. Collaboration has been the greatest part of sharing and creating music too. When you’re collaborating, there’s so much cross-pollination of rhythm, sound and energy!
Breanne Peters @breannepetersmusic
I whakapapa to Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Ruanui, Bantu, Xhosa and Zulu. Born and raised in Naarm.
My creative practice is weaving! Weaving sound frequencies through waiata, culture and performing arts through kapa haka, spirituality, and the medicine of Papatūānuku through rongoā and energy and power to bring out confidence through music.
Naarm holds a strong and passionate community of artists and creatives inspired by the journey of this whenua and its people to project their imaginations and creations. Being Māori in Naarm, I feel, adds a whole different dimension to what being Māori is. We must go about our practices and traditions in different ways, always respecting tangata whenua first, but also knowing we have the power to gift them gratitude through our own creative practice. I think it’s so powerful and important for us to use our art in this special way. I have grown so much in my journey, from not wanting to associate with being Māori to it becoming my life. I live Māori every day, with no shame and no guilt, and deeply express that through my music and art.
Bella Waru @bella_waru
Ngati Tukorehe, Te Ati Awa. Born in the Eora Nation, raised on Yuin whenua. Now living and listening on sacred Kulin country.
I am a performer and choreographer of movement, sound, space and language, and a practitioner of Māori healing, weaving and martial arts.
What I love about the Māori creative community in Narrm is the strength of our desire to uplift one another, to share our skills and knowledge, and witness each other standing in our mana. We practice community well.
Pānia Elmsly @pania_of_the_reef
He uri tēnei o Te Tai Tokerau me Ngāti Maniapoto.
I create tools for myself and others to connect with the taiao (the world around me), our Māoritanga and reo rangatira. I use resources found in the taiao. I kōrero and share stories with whoever wants to listen. I love being in wānanga.
I love how Māori have adapted and excelled in the Kulin nation while doing our best to walk alongside mana whenua; amplifying and empowering the voices of te iwi taketake. I love the diversity and the broader perspectives of all peoples who have chosen to call Naarm and the Kulin nation home. Māori living in Naarm are always there to tautoko each other with any kaupapa that occurs, practising whakawhanaungatanga, creating hononga, and standing proud as Māori.
