MASPAC Grants from books to Haka

Tu Tangata, Issue 29, 1 April 1986, Unnumbered Page

MASPAC Grants from books to Haka

The following organisations have been granted financial assistance for different wananga and projects from the Maori and South Pacific Arts Council.

The Motuti Community Trust of Hokianga has received a grant of $2,000 from the Council for Maori and South Pacific Arts.

This assistance will go towards costs of printing a textbook of history and Maori studies of the Hokianga area.

The topics dealt with in the book include original settlement in Hokianga, names of places in the area (rivers, fishing grounds), pa sites and burial grounds, and intertribal warfare. It is intended that the book will be a resource for the local marae, kohanga reo, maori studies and language programmes. The booklet is being produced under the supervision of Father Tate, Chairman of the Motuti Marae.

The Pakuranga Arts Society of Auckland received $3,500.

Assistance is being provided towards costs of an exhibition.

The grant will help promote new directions by Maori women artists and writers. An exhibition by 30 artists and writers has been brought together by Toi Maihi at the invitation of the Fisher Gallery and of the women of the Haeata Collective, Wellington. The exhibition will open on 27 April 1986, and will continue until 1 June 1986.

The Te Whenua Production of Auckland received $5,000. This grant will be a financial help to the production of “Haka”. The project “Haka” is a film documentary on different tribal haka as well as contemporary haka. The significance and origin of each haka is explained as well as the transition to modern rock and reggae music. Nine major haka will be filmed with haka teams from Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa and NgatiPorou. Besides being a historical documentary the purpose of the project is to

stimulate the learning of the maori language and also to illustrate that the ambience of the haka can be felt and appreciated just as much in todays modern world as it was in former times.

The Niuean Cultural Association of Auckland also received a grant of $3,190 from the Council for Maori and South Pacific Arts.

The grant is made under the Council’s Niue Culture Scheme of the Traditional Pacific Island Art Programme. Assistance is being provided towards costs of a camp and cultural workshops.

These workshops will cover weaving, dancing and singing, language and cooking, traditional Niuean food. At the end of the week the proposal includes a mini festival in order that participants may display what they have learnt. The purpose of the camp is to teach aspects of the Niuean culture of the youth.