Nau mai, haere mai, ki te Whare Tapere

A House of Indigenous Storytelling

Whare Tapere were spaces on Pā sites, where Māori would come together to celebrate and use a range of artforms to share their stories. Artist-scholars such as Charles Royal and Nicola Hyland are bringing to light this history through their research and writing. Māori artists are embracing and enlivening the storied tradition of these houses in their work.

A Space for kā Toi Māori 

Te Whare Tapere is a new House of Arts promoting and supporting Māori art and artists in Ōtautahi, Christchurch. The space supports a range of creative projects from exhibitions, performances, and movement, to workshops, wānaka, and artists talks.“Te Whare Tapere is a multidisciplinary, indigenous house of storytelling. It should be a warm, safe space to practice kā toi Māori, facilitating the intergenerational transfer of mātauraka” – Juanita Hepi

For Māori by Māori

Our Kaiwhakahaere Māori Arts Programmes are:

• Juanita Hepi (Kāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāti Mutunga, Moriori, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Wai, Ngāpuhi) – multidisciplinary storyteller, producer, director, researcher and writer
• Ngaio Cowell (Waikato Tainui, Ngaati Te Ata, Ngāti Porou, Tauiwi) – kaihanga, ringatoi me kairaranga; creator, artist, and weaver

They are overseeing the fitout, programming, and development of Te Whare Tapere, in consultation with the Māori Advisory Committee of Te Matatiki Toi Ora. 

Days/Hours Variable, depending on the kaupapa of the current project. 

Forthcoming events

Visit the What’s on page for details of current and future events in Te Whare Tapere.

Enquiries

Want to find out more? Got a project or idea to discuss? 

Email us

Ngā mihi 

Thanks to Rātā Foundation, the NZ Lottery Grants Board, Christchurch City Council Discretionary Response Fund and everyone who contributed to our Arts Foundation BOOSTED crowd-funding campaign in 2021. 

Image credit: Gallery images by Jemma Mitchell Photography, 2023.