Stories of Our Nation: A resounding song of strength that will echo into the future

In all that we are, in all that we do at Noa, we aim to courageously share our nation's stories, weaving together the experiences and stories that have shaped us, here in Aotearoa. He mihi ki a Tūhourangi me Te Whare Tāpere o Te Arawa.

Earlier this week, on Wednesday 10 June, we were honoured to be invited to join descendants of Tūhourangi iwi (a tribal group based in the Rotorua area) to commemorate 140 years to the day since the eruption of their ancestral mountain, Tarawera.

The 1886 Tarawera eruption took 108 lives that night, displaced thousands more and changed the landscape of the area forever. Including the destruction of Ōtūkapuarangi and Te Tarata, more commonly known as The Pink and White Terraces, that attracted visitors from all around the world and birthed tourism in Aotearoa. A fatal event woven into the tapestry of our nation, but this would not be the end of the story.

We attended the opening show of Tērā Te Auahi, a showcase of incredible performing arts talent and skill, retelling a special story of identity, loss and tragedy, progress, resilience and strength. While this story might be relatively familiar for us, to experience a theatrical retelling through the perspectives, sound and power of rangatahi (young people) is an experience we will cherish forever. 

We shared in their mourning for the tupuna (ancestors), the landscapes and sites of identity that were lost in the devastating events 140 years ago. We sat in awe of the fortitude their descendants demonstrated to preserve this historic event and the will of their people to persevere and endure.

Masterfully composed by Te Whare Tāpere o Te Arawa, Tērā Te Auahi gracefully delivered a world-class production informed by kōrero tuku iho (ancestral knowledge), lived experience passed down through generations, and elevated through spectacular singing and musical arrangements.

We were both honoured and humbled to witness the determination of a people to endure and overcome, to harness their inherent strength and fortify a resounding song of strength that will echo into the future! 

Tū tū mai ngā morehu o te hū o Tarawera!