L2 Te Ao Haka - Māori Performance
2TAHA Course DescriptionTeacher in Charge: Whaea A. Mikaere.
Te Ao Haka is a culturally responsive art form, providing opportunities for all ākonga to engage in Māori culture, language and traditional practice. Te Ao Haka is founded on traditional knowledge, but is progressive in the development and evolution of the art form.
Intrinsic to Te Ao Haka are culture, language and identity. Te Ao Haka is a vehicle used to wānanga and communicate culture, tikanga, knowledge systems and iwi traditions. Te Ao Haka is enabling and centres around the importance of family, marae, iwi, hapū and waka through connection with the past, present and future. This belonging gives ākonga a purpose to strive towards and achieve to their full potential, including empowering them to have fun and enjoy the performing arts.
This is a full year course with five main focuses.
Te Ao Haka is born of its context
It is essential that students understand and engage with the origins and development of Te Ao Haka as an artform. Concepts of whakapapa and taiao, and of place space and time, are intrinsic to Te Ao Haka.
Narratives are the catalyst for all composition
Te Ao Haka is built on and communicates narratives. To engage with Te Ao Haka students will require both interpretive and communicative skills - such as listening, pānui, tuhituhi, reo-ā-waha.
He taonga tuku iho
Te Ao Haka is a treasure and an inheritance. It is rooted in, and elevates Māori culture and language. For many students, it is an access point to engaging with te ao Māori.
Te Ao Haka is uniquely and recognisably Māori
To engage with Te Ao Haka, students must engage with tikanga, reo, and Māori culture and identity. The essence and distinctiveness of Te Ao Haka come from its cultural and contextual origins.
Te Ao Haka can only be truly understood through performance
Performance is an intrinsic component for students of Te Ao Haka. Through performance, students can explore foundations, skills, creativity, expression and refinement. Performance will form a key part of their learning as they progress on their Te Ao Haka journey.
Learning Areas: