Bringing history to life
Cultural Workshops
"Te manu e kai ana it te miro, nōna te ngahere; te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga nōna te ao"
"The bird who partakes of the miro berry owns the forest; the bird who partakes of education
owns the world" - Māori proverb
Teaching. Sharing. Learning.
Pūrākau Productions is based in Poihakena, Ahitereiria (Sydney, Australia) where we offer a range of cultural workshops, from weaving with harakeke (flax), weaving beautiful kākahu (cloaks), creating karaehe wreaths for ceremonial occasions and mourning at tangihanga (funerals), to academic historical presentations focusing on Aotearoa New Zealand history.
Testimonials
Te raranga putiputi me nga pūrākau wānanga
"The event was incredibly well planned on your side, definitely culturally enriching and fun! The numbers were perfect, the atmosphere in the room was great and everybody left on a high but with a treasured bunch of harakeke flowers they had woven and were proud of. I do hope we can collaborate on similar events in the future." Rebecca Conway - Curator, Macleay Collection, Chau Chak Wing Museum.
Available Workshops:
For additional information on any workshops listed below, please see specific workshop sections for workshop details and pricing.
Te raranga putiputi me nga pūrākau: The weaving of flowers and stories - weaving a bouquet of three different types of putiputi (flowers), whilst sharing stories with one another.
Te raranga te karaehe - creating wreaths for ceremonial occasions; plus weaving tauā (mourning wreath worn around the head), and also hung above the head, behind a tūpāpaku (deceased) at a tangihanga (funeral).
Te whatu raranga - a kākahu/korowai (cloak) weaving workshop, where participants will be taught: karakia (messages of acknowledgment to the natural world and the ancestors); kawa and tikanga (rules and procedures); weaving methods; and participants will complete a tauira (practice piece) which will be framed to take home.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi - To sign or not to sign. An academic historical presentation focusing on Aotearoa New Zealand’s past, the process which led up to the implementation of the treaty; and the role of chief Moka Te Kaingamatā (the presenter’s 3 x great grandfather), and his two brothers in that process. Come on this haerenga (journey) to learn a perspective of the Treaty of Waitangi which has only recently come to light through the presenter's dogged research - what did Moka know, what were his concerns, and why did he refuse to sign the treaty?
Hongi's Haerenga - an academic historical presentation focusing on the 1814 journey to Australia by several Māori rangatira (chiefs), their experiences, and how that impacted their decisions on returning home. This also includes a comparison between the three carved wooden busts of Hongi, with my research suggesting which one of the three is believed to be the one he carved in Sydney in 1814. Each participant will also receive a copy of my journal article - both hard copy and soft copy, and
Hongi's Hikoi: A Trio of Travellers - an academic presentation including a short film; focusing on the 1820 hikoi (journey) to England, and Australia by Hongi Hika, Waikato, and missionary Thomas Kendall; where they attended Cambridge University and helped compile a Māori-English dictionary; were introduced to the Peerage in the House of Lords; and were given an audience with the King - where gifts were exchanged between the leaders. This also includes a detailed description of the items, as well as an in-depth study of the kākahu Hongi gifted the King. Each participant will receive a copy of the presenter's set of beautifully illustrated bilingual historical storybooks - soft copy.
Contact us at purakauproductions@gmail.com for bookings.
Workshops
Te raranga putiputi me nga pūrākau wānanga:
The weaving of flowers and stories workshop
Contact us for availability
"On behalf of the Waddell whanau thank you for hosting and guiding us through the weaving and storytelling workshop. It was fantastic, and we're all the better and richer for taking part. The combination of learning together, weaving with your hands and the achievement of creating something by the end was special and has stayed with me well beyond the experience." - Andrew Waddell, General Manager - Australia - Tourism New Zealand.
In this two-to-three-hour session, tauira (participants) will learn about the properties and uses of harakeke (flax), and create a beautiful bouquet of putiputi (flowers) while they share purakau (stories) with one another.
Workshop includes:
A traditional Māori whakatau (cultural opening) including a tauparapara (incantation to begin a speech), karakia (spiritual acknowledgment to the world), whaikorero (official welcome speech), and waiata (song) of welcome,
A brief academic audio-visual presentation focusing on properties and use of harakeke (flax), kupu (terminology), and kawa and tikanga (rules and procedures),
A guided session with whole group, and small group demonstrations, and one-on-one support; creating three different types of putiputi (flowers),
All resources, tools, and decorative materials are provided, and
Whakamutunga (cultural closing) including a waiata (song) and karakia (message of acknowledgment to the world).
Facilitators: Brent & Delise Kerehona
Participants: 5-30 people
Duration: 2-3 hours
Cost: $1,000 including GST
Te raranga te karaehe me te taua: The weaving of ceremonial wreaths, and mourning wreaths
Contact us for availability
In this three-hour session, tauira (participants) will learn about: the properties and uses of harakeke (flax); kawa and tikanga (rules and procedures); karakia (prayer or incantation to the deceased) - as well as create a karaehe (wreath) for ceremonial occasions; consisting of harakeke (flax) putiputi (flowers), and plaited harakeke (flax) bow - all of which you will learn to create. *Ribbons used during this wānanga (workshop) will be 'Lest We Forget' (purple and gold) versions, however, you are free to change this with one of your choosing at a later date.
Tauira (participants) will also learn to create a tauā (mourning wreath worn around the head), and also hung above the head, behind a tūpāpaku (deceased) at a tangihanga (funeral).
Workshop includes:
A traditional Māori whakatau (cultural opening) including a tauparapara (incantation to begin a speech), karakia (spiritual acknowledgment to the world), whaikorero (official welcome speech), and waiata (song) of welcome,
A brief academic audio-visual presentation focusing on properties and use of harakeke (flax), kupu (terminology), and kawa and tikanga (rules and procedures),
A guided session with whole group, and small group demonstrations, and one-on-one support; creating - a karaehe (wreath) using two different types of putiputi (flowers), plaited harakeke (flax) cordage, and selected ribbon, a tauā (mourning wreath worn around the head), and also hung above the head, behind a tūpāpaku (deceased) at a tangihanga (funeral).
All resources, tools, and decorative materials are provided, and
Whakamutunga (cultural closing) including a waiata (song) and karakia (message of acknowledgment to the world).
Facilitators: Brent & Delise Kerehona
Participants: 5-15 people
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $1,000 including GST
Te whatu raranga o kākahu wānanga: The weaving of cloaks workshop
Contact us for availability
"Te Mana o te Kākahu - The Prestige of Cloaks" - Kahutoi Te Kanawa & John Turi-Tiakitai
There are many types of kākahu, some were used to counter the weather, like pāke and pihepihe; others to protect oneself in battle, known as pauku; and other, more stunning garments of a ceremonial nature, such as korowai and kaitaka. A quality kākahu is the epitome of status, and usually becomes a family heirloom - such is the value of a garment such as this.
Te whatu raranga o kākahu wānanga: The weaving of kākahu / korowai (cloak) weaving workshop, provides a starting point to your whatu raranga o kākahu (cloak weaving) haerenga (journey); where tauira (participants) will learn about the properties and uses of harakeke (flax); kawa and tikanga (rules and procedures) surrounding the cloak-weaving process; karakia (message of acknowledgment to the natural world and the ancestors); the various techniques used to whatu raranga (hand-twine), how to incorporate mawhitiwhiti (decorative crosses), and prepare and affix huruhuru (feathers), hukahuka (tassels) to create a tauira (practice piece) which will be framed to take home. *Tauira (participants) will be introduced to the technique of tāniko (decorative borders / bands) which they can learn at a later date.
This workshop includes:
A traditional Māori whakatau (cultural opening) including a tauparapara (incantation to begin a speech), karakia (spiritual acknowledgment to the world), whaikorero (official welcome speech), and waiata (song) of welcome,
A brief academic audio-visual presentation focusing on properties and use of harakeke (flax), kupu (terminology), kawa and tikanga (rules and procedures), and the different processes of: hauhaki - harvesting harakeke, haro - extracting muka / whitau from a harakeke rau ( flax leaf), miro - twisting fibres into 2-ply threads, ready to begin weaving,
A guided session with whole group, and small group demonstrations, and one-on-one support; in creating: a tauira (small practice piece) which will utilise hukahuka, huruhuru, and māwhitiwhiti. *Tauira will also learn about tāniko, and can attempt this technique on another practice piece,
All resources, tools, and decorative materials are provided, and
Whakamutunga (cultural closing) including a waiata (song) and karakia (message of acknowledgment to the world).
Facilitators: Brent & Delise Kerehona
Participants: 5-15 people
Duration: 5-6 hours
Cost: $2,000 including GST
Te Tiriti o Waitangi - To sign or not to sign?
Contact us for availability
Te Tiriti o Waitangi - To sign or not to sign?
An academic historical presentation focusing on Aotearoa New Zealand’s past, the events, and the process which led to the implementation of the treaty.
This presentation looks at the treaty from the perspective of Ngāpuhi rangatira (chief) Moka Te Kaingamatā - the presenter’s 3 x great grandfather); and his two chiefly brothers, Te Wharerahi, and Rewa, in that process.
Come on this haerenga (journey) to learn a perspective of the Treaty of Waitangi which has only recently come to light through the presenter's dogged research. Was Moka the first Māori activist, what did he know, what were his concerns, and why did he refuse to sign the treaty?
Workshop includes:
A traditional Māori whakatau (cultural opening) including a tauparapara (incantation to begin a speech), karakia (spiritual acknowledgment to the world), and a whaikorero (official welcome speech),
An academic lecture with an accompanying visual presentation,
A question and answer session,
A hard copy printout of the presenter's online biography, and a heads up on his current major project - an interactive historical novel Moka, Muskets and Mayhem!
Whakamutunga (cultural closing) including a waiata (song).
Facilitator: Brent Kerehona
Participants: 1-100 people
Duration: 1.5 hours
Cost: $500 including GST
Hongi's Haerenga - Hongi's Journey
Contact us for availability
An academic presentation, focusing on one aspect of Aotearoa New Zealand’s early-19th century past.
This presentation looks at the 1814 haerenga (journey) of renowned Maori chief, Hongi Hika, and some of his peers, to Port Jackson (Sydney); his travels, experiences, as well as the history behind, and a comparison of, a trio of carved wooden busts, purportedly carved by Hongi himself whilst in Australia.
Come on this haerenga (journey) to learn one perspective of the early interactions between Maori and tauiwi (foreigners) and the impacts that had on early 19th century Aotearoa New Zealand history.
Workshop includes:
A traditional Māori whakatau (cultural opening) including a tauparapara (incantation to begin a speech), karakia (spiritual acknowledgment to the world), and a whaikorero (official welcome speech),
An academic lecture with an accompanying visual presentation,
A question and answer session,
A hard copy printout of my journal article Hongi Hika: A Portrait
Whakamutunga (cultural closing) including a waiata (song).
Facilitator: Brent Kerehona
Participants: 1-100 people
Duration: 1 hour
Cost: $500 including GST
Hongi's Hikoi
Contact us for availability
An academic presentation focusing on the 1820 journey to England, by renowned Maori chief, Hongi Hika, Waikato, and CMS missionary Thomas Kendall; and their experiences working at compiling an English-Maori dictionary at Cambridge University; their introduction to the Peerage in the House of Lords; and their audience with King George IV.
This presentation also includes:
1) A short film,
2) An as-yet-unpublished list of gifts that were exchanged between the leaders; located and researched by the presenter during his visit to the Royal Archives in 2019, and
3) A detailed study of the kakahu (cloak) given to the King, as a result of several examinations of this garment, by the presenter, during his visits to The British Museum in 2019, and 2024.
Facilitator: Brent Kerehona Participants: 1-100 people
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $1,000