Te Rākau Trust and the creation of ‘Undertow’

The Team from Alexander Turnbull Library

This event is part of the Pūkana exhibition — a celebration of moments in Māori performance.
Date: Monday, 18 November, 2019
Time: 12pm to 1pm
Cost: Free. You don't need to book.
Location: Programme rooms, Te Ahumairangi ground floor, National Library, corner Molesworth and Aitken Streets, Thorndon

Our country’s colonisation history, from 1840 to today
‘Undertow’, which premiered on Māori TV on 31 October, is all about ordinary people going to extraordinary measures in their search for a place to call home. It is political theatre wrapped up in Kaupapa Māori — the story of our country’s colonisation history, from 1840 to today.

As Jim Moriarty says, it’s a chance to ‘move forward into the 21st century, get over our historical amnesia and understand our collective history.’

Undertow website — Step through the proscenium arch and journey through time itself with UNDERTOW - Te Rākau’s electric Theatre Marae experience.

Te Rākau Trust
Te Rākau Trust, creators of 'Undertow', describe themselves as a Kaupapa Maori organisation, guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Join Kaitohu / Performance Director — Jim Moriarty, Kaihautū / Producer — Aneta Pond and Kaituhi / Playwright — Helen Pearse-Otene in this lunchtime discussion about their journey to create a Theatre Marae experience.

About the speakers
Jim (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Kahungungu, Rangitane, Scots, Norwegian, Italian) is the Performance Director of Undertow and Rangatira on the paepae auaha of producers, designers and creators.
Aneta (Ngāti Rangi, Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Rongomaiwahine) is the Kaihautū/Producer of Te Rākau and has been working with the company since 2014, beginning with 'The Ragged'.
Helen (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kuri, Ngāti Ruanui) is the writer of The Undertow and a member of the paepae auaha. She is a Registered, Practicing Psychologist in the midst of pursuing her PHD.
Image: L to R: Jim Moriarty, Aneta Pond and Helen Pearse-Otene.