Wananga to teach taonga puoro art

TAONGA: Taonga puoro experts (from left) Richard Nunns, Brian Flintoff, Horomona Horo, Warren Warbrick and James Webster are coming to teach in Wanganui. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

People will be able to make, play and learn about traditional Maori musical instruments at a wananga in Wanganui in June.

It is being organised by resident Elise Goodge, who plays taonga puoro herself. The line-up of seven tutors reads like a who's who of the discipline: Richard Nunns, Brian Flintoff, Horomona Horo, Warren Warbrick, James Webster, Jerome Kavanagh and Alistair Fraser.

Ms Goodge's own kaiako (teacher), Richard Nunns, asked her to organise the wananga in Wanganui four years ago. She said it had taken the intervening time to get the credibility needed to obtain sponsorship from Creative New Zealand and Wanganui District Council. That sponsorship pays for the teachers' fees, travel and accommodation.

The council and Whanganui iwi have also sponsored 13 places at the workshop, for a student from each of the region's secondary schools.

The cost to participants is $185 for the three days, June 19 to 21. It covers food, materials for making the taonga puoro and the venue at the Tupoho Community Complex. Rangahaua marae will be used, and Awa FM will record some of the sessions.

Ms Goodge said the price was a bargain. She's heard of similar wananga costing $500 to $2000, and already has bookings from Dunedin, Auckland and Hamilton. There are just 50 places available, with nearly 20 already taken.

"Locals will need to get in early, because those places will go," she said.

A wananga, loosely translated as a workshop, is always hands-on. It incorporates all kinds of learning, with listening and note taking as well as making and playing instruments and learning the moteatea (songs) that go with them.

The instruments will be made from various materials, but mainly wood, bone and stone.

"I'm getting some bone donated by a local carver, and some from Imlay, and Brian Flintoff is bringing some koauau blanks that need finishing.

"One of the other tutors, Alistair Fraser, is a specialist in found instruments." When he was resident artist on Stewart Island he made instruments out of materials washed up on the beach, she said.