TAURITE

A graduate of Unitec’s 2013 Performing and Screen Arts course, Eddie is a dancer and choreographer whose talent has taken him around the world. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including the iconic Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative and the 2014 I Am Auckland Awards, the Eileen May Norris scholarship and the Toi Tipu Toi Rea grant for the associate artist programme. Most recently, Eddie was awarded the Tup Lung Choreographic award which enabled him to premiere his first full length work at Auckland Arts Festival 2022: Waiwhakaata - Reflections in the Water, followed by his world premiere of Uku - Behind the Canvas as part of the New Zealand Dance Company’s double bill programming Nightlight. Since returning from the Nelson Arts Festival 2022 working under the direction of Charles Koroneho in the performance Ko Te Ākau, Eddie is currently choreographing for the Unitec 2022 end of year performance opening. He is excited to utilise his international experiences to perform in Taurite.

Kiwa is a graduate of Whitireia Community Polytechnic, Wellington (2012-2014). Having only chosen to pursue the arts after leaving high school, Kiwa immediately was sent to one of the most internationally recognised festivals in the world in Drummondville (Canada) in his first year at Whitireia. Following this, he participated in an international tour annually leading up to 2016, travelling to France, Taiwan, Australia and Macau. After graduating, Kiwa spent time working for multiple performance organisations including Te Pitowhenua, Black Grace and Manu Collective. His involvement with Hawaiki TŪ began in 2015 as part of the production Te Manawa and he has been an active member ever since. Musically trained and pitch perfect, Kiwa enjoys using his skills in waiata alongside his Cook Island dance, Siva Samoa and contemporary dance backgrounds to contribute to the company kaupapa.

Kura is the Artistic Director and Lead Choreographer of Hawaiki TŪ. With a BA in Dance & Māori performing arts, Kura is in her first year of PhD studies. As an established Māori practitioner and long-standing performer of the Kapa Haka group, Te Waka Huia, Kura has extensive performance experience representing Aotearoa on several overseas tours. She is the Artistic Director and Creative Producer of Autaia, a major event that supports schools to create their own haka theatre productions. Kura recently toured the USA with renowned NZ Dance company Black Grace. Her passion is inspired by a desire to positively shape and preserve the integrity of Māori and indigenous performing arts for the ultimate well-being of whānau, hāpori, iwi & hapu.

Marcus is a loyal member of Hawaiki TŪ having now been with the company for over 10 years. Beginning with extensive training at the Hawaiki TŪ academy, he has proceeded to become a highly valued performer in many Hawaiki TŪ productions. Marcus’ deep love for Māori performing arts has led him to teach as a kaiako for the past three years at Hoani Waititi where he draws on his lifetime experience as a Kaihaka within Te roopu kapa haka o Ngā Tumanako and deep passion for Te Ao Māori me ona tikanga. With a bachelor degree in Māori performing arts and a post-graduate degree in teaching Marcus is committed to contributing to the arts industry and education to inspire the next generation to continue forging forward with the taonga that lie in Māori performing arts.

Ngakirikiri was raised in Kapa Haka, with her parents being in Te Roopū Manutaki, paving the way for her and her siblings in matauranga Māori. She has had experience performing in children’s television shows, performing on stage and travelling internationally to share Te Ao Māori with other cultures in places such as Belgium, the Philippines, Brazil, Poland and Hawaii. In 2016, Ngakirikiri was invited to join Hawaiki TŪ’s CMPA programme and fell in love with the fusion of Haka, dance, acting, singing and kaupapa. Cast as the lead role of Te Mauri in Hawaiki Tū’s Te Manawa she toured Aotearoa New Zealand before then repeating the role in 2017 at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. She notes “Some of the best years of my life have been with Hawaiki TŪ. I am so excited to be back and working with our whānau for this show, paving the way for our rangatahi who love to perform, sing, create, dance”.

Rickylee is best known for her role as Chardonnay in Boy directed by Taika Waititi, as well as roles in Waka Warriors, This Is Piki and more recently Vegas and Beyond The Veil. Rickylee came from a world of ballet, tap, jazz and kapa haka which led her to joining Hawaiki TŪ in 2016. With an established background in theatre with Te Rehia Theatre Company Ltd and Auckland Theatre Company. Rickylee continued to share her love for the arts throughout Canada performing and facilitating cultural workshops at Sākihiwē, Edge Of The World Festival and many others. Rickylee is passionate about sharing Māori and other First Nations stories through the arts, film and television, whilst ensuring the appropriate voices are at the table when it comes to safeguarding culture. Rickylee believes in order to continue to grow and create meaningful works, genuine partnerships that equally empower one another are imperative.

Sherrick is a creative movement artist and University of Auckland Dance Studies graduate, currently studying for his Masters. He specialises in Māori contemporary dance and dance theatre, street dance styles, commercial dance styles, modern contemporary dance, Haka theatre and Pacific fusion dance. Sherrick is also a Te Ao Māori researcher, exploring the realms of tikanga and matauranga Māori centered narratives; pre-colonial and post futuristic ritualistic practices. He is an emerging independent choreographer, creative director, and producer; creating multimodal movement artistic work for community events and festivals. Sherrick works as a freelance teacher and educator facilitating movement workshops around Aotearoa in schools and various community group centers alongside being Associate Creative Director of Nappyboyz street dance company, and a dancer with NZX-NEXT

Pikau is a proud descendant of Aotearoa and Fiji. She enjoys embodying & expressing her Māoritanga through maurakau (poutahi), kapa haka (Polyfest, Ahurea) and has performed two years in a row for Autaia. Pikau is tuakana to 5 siblings & at 17 years young finishing year 13 at Te kura kaupapa Māori o Te Kotuku.

Raised in the many worlds of Kapa Haka, performing arts, Te Ao Māori and Te Ao Pākeha, KaiĀio recently stood with his rōpu to perform and blew his māmā away with his commitment to the craft. Unsurprisingly, he’s a natural. KaiĀio ia a taonga of Hawaiki TŪ, bringing laughter, joy and light to the company, all of whom love him and draw strength from his focus and determination to give everything to his performances.