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For the first time in history, taonga pūoro will be judged as a standalone, non-aggregate category at the Tainui Waka Kapa Haka Regionals—marking a powerful
In January 2026, taonga pūoro returned to the whenua of Mōtītī in a powerful wānanga focused on rongoā Māori and sound healing. Across three days,
This is a whistling gourd. They are swung on a cord (similar to the playing of the purerehua) and create a gentle, soft whistling sound.
Friday 1st – Saturday 2nd May 2026
An immersive wānanga exploring the sounds, stories, and revitalisation of taonga pūoro, grounded in Tūhoetanga and connection to place.
Our story
Taonga Pūoro were historically used in the arts of healing and cultural ceremonies and still are today, in varying degrees. Due to historical events, there was a decline in the use and cultural practice of the instrumental traditions within Māori culture and with the knowledge base connected to it.
There has been a revival of this craft over the last 30-40 years, led by the late Hirini Melbourne, the late Richard Nunns, Brian Flintoff and Ranginui Keefe, Joe Malcolm, Clem Mellish, the late Rangiiria Hedley, Aroha Yates Smith, Hinewīrangi Kohu Morgan, Ross and Bruce Gregory, Te Miringa Hohaia and others. Haumanu has grown from these initiatives.
The group is dedicated to the revival, teaching, and sharing of these taonga. We are a newly formed rōpū of six people, are representatives of the wider rōpū, and a continuation of Haumanu.
Mandated by the broader Taonga Pūoro whānau with the support of CNZ and MCH to facilitate a Strengthening Taonga Pūoro strategy over the next three years.
The core collective are:
HAUMANU COLLECTIVE KAUPAPA
✨ Tūtaki ki a Mahina Ina Kingi-Kaui ✨
Kāti Irakehu, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Kāti Huirapa, Te Whānau Pōkai, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi
He kaiwhakatangitangi, he kaitito waiata, he kaiwhakaputa puoro, he ringa toi, he kaiwhakatangi, he kaiwhakatinana hoki i ngā Taonga Pūoro.
Mahina Ina Kingi-Kaui is an accomplished recording artist, composer and practitioner of Ngā Taonga Pūoro, with a creative practice spanning music, performance and collaboration.
Her mahi has taken her across Aotearoa and internationally, performing and creating alongside musicians, orchestras, artists and creative projects. She has also composed and co-composed music for film, contemporary performance and other multidisciplinary works, bringing the unique sounds of taonga pūoro into diverse creative spaces.
Mahina has a strong connection to the performance and composition of taonga pūoro, using these instruments as both a source of sound and a way to contribute to contemporary Māori creative expression. Her mahi demonstrates the versatility of taonga pūoro and the many spaces in which these living taonga can be heard, experienced and shared.
She has also been involved in opportunities that support the next generation of practitioners, including working with rangatahi and tamariki to introduce taonga pūoro and explore new ways of learning and creating with these instruments.
As part of Haumanu Collective, Mahina brings her experience as a performer, composer and practitioner to the ongoing revitalisation of taonga pūoro — contributing to a living practice that continues to evolve, connect and inspire.
He taonga tuku iho, he taonga ora. 🌿
📸 Ir@irenematonphotography
He taonga ora, ehara i te mea he taonga ka puritia noa iho.
The revitalisation of taonga pūoro asks us to think beyond preservation.
What does it mean for a taonga to truly live?
To play them
To learn them.
To practise them.
To share them.
To pass the knowledge on.
Because keeping something safe is not always the same as keeping it alive.
Taonga pūoro continue to live through the people who carry their sounds, knowledge and practices forward — creating space for them to grow, evolve and be experienced by generations to come.
He taonga tuku iho, he taonga ora. 🌿
@maorigirl17 and @libby_g36 head to INIHKD for RIEL ki Rarotonga. Haere pai atu kōrua. #taongapuorokiteao
He kōrero tuku iho, he mātauranga tuku iho, he taonga tuku iho. 🌿
Over two days in Gisborne, whānau came together for a practical, hands-on wānanga exploring the pūrākau, whakapapa and mātauranga connected to taonga pūoro.
Led by James Webster, Rikki Solomon, Eli Maiava and Hemi Kara, the wānanga created space to learn through doing — engaging with the taonga, exploring their sounds and developing a deeper understanding of the knowledge carried within them.
These spaces are an important part of keeping taonga pūoro connected to people and practice. Through kōrero, making, playing and sharing mātauranga, knowledge continues to move between generations and communities.
A massive mihi nui to the whānau of Taiki e and the @haututuhacklab for providing the āhuru mōwai for this wānanga.
He taonga tuku iho, he taonga ora.
At the heart of our mahi is a commitment to ensuring taonga pūoro Māori continue to live, grow and be carried forward.
Our vision, mission and values provide the foundations for how we approach this mahi — shaping the relationships we build, the decisions we make, the spaces we create, and the way we work together with the wider hapori.
We know that revitalisation is not simply about preserving what has been carried before us. It is about creating the conditions for knowledge, practice and connection to continue growing into the future.
These foundations guide us as we learn, create, share and contribute to the ongoing life of taonga pūoro Māori. 🌿
He taonga tuku iho, he taonga ora.
Our recent visit to Tāmaki Paenga Hira (Auckland Museum) was an important step in building and strengthening relationships with the museum and its collection team as we look towards our upcoming taonga pūoro exhibition at Waikato Museum in October 2027.
Spending time with the taonga provided an opportunity to share mātauranga, deepen our understanding of their significance, and begin conversations around their care and potential inclusion in the exhibition.
Through whakawhanaungatanga, kōrero and engagement with the taonga, we continue to lay the foundations for this mahi ā te wā.
He mahi ngātahi, he taonga tuku iho 🌿
#HaumanuCollective #TaongaPūoro #Whakawhanaungatanga #WaikatoMuseum
He hui, he kōrero, he hononga. 🌿
Earlier this year, a few of our team had the opportunity to attend the@talanoaartsforum in Sāmoa — a multidisciplinary platform bringing together people across the Moana to share knowledge, ideas, creative practice and perspectives.
We were inspired to see the focus that was being placed on revival, to share space with like minded people, and be inspired by our peers.
For Haumanu, being part of spaces like this is an important part of the mahi.
It gives us opportunities to share kōrero and knowledge around taonga pūoro Māori, while also listening to and learning from the many creative and cultural practices being carried across Moana Pacific communities.
These connections create space for dialogue, collaboration and the exchange of ideas — strengthening relationships between people working to nurture and grow Indigenous creative practice.
We value the opportunity to contribute our experiences, learn from others, and continue building connections across the Moana.
He kōrero, he mātauranga, he hononga.
Our knowledge grows when we come together to share it. 🌺
✨ Tūtaki i a Jo’el Komene ✨
Ngā Puhi, Tapuika, Waitaha, Tainui
He kaiwhakairo, he kaiwhakatangitangi, he kaiwhakaako.
Jo’el Komene is one of the two Māngai or Co-Chairs of Te Manatōpū o Haumanu. He is a renowned Māori carver, musician and educator whose mahi centres on taonga pūoro. With whakapapa to Ngā Puhi, Tapuika, Waitaha and Tainui, Jo’el brings deep cultural knowledge and exceptional skill to both the making and playing of these taonga.
His performances have taken him to audiences around the world, sharing the sound and presence of taonga pūoro.
Alongside his practice as a carver and musician, Jo’el is deeply committed to educating others about taonga pūoro and the knowledge, techniques and traditional practices connected to them. His ground-level approach to teaching supports the continued learning and practice of taonga pūoro, helping ensure this mātauranga is carried forward.
As part of Haumanu Collective, Jo’el contributes his knowledge, skill and passion to the ongoing revitalisation of taonga pūoro — supporting their survival as living taonga and ensuring their sounds, stories and practices continue to reach future generations.
He taonga tuku iho, he taonga ora.
#HaumanuCollective #TaongaPūoro #MātaurangaMāori #meetheteam
📸 @irenematonphotography
