ARONUI PŌHIRI

When: Thursday 9 September, 9.30AM

Where: Te Papaiōuru Marae, Ōhinemutu, Rotorua.

Cost: Free

Te Arawa welcome Artists from across Aotearoa who have come together to celebrate the commencement of the third ARONUI Indigenous Arts Festival and day one of the Rotorua Indigenous Film Festival.

ROTORUA INDIGENOUS Film FESTIVAL

When: Thursday 9 September – Saturday 11 September

Where: Te Papaiōuru Marae, Pacific Crystal Palace - Village Green, Reading Cinemas

Cost: Pre Registration Required

Created and run by award-winning Māori filmmakers, the Rotorua Indigenous Film Festival (RIFF) brings together the year’s best Indigenous Films from around the globe for an intense three-day Festival.

ARONUI PROGRAMME LAUNCH

When: Saturday 11 September, 6pm

Where: Pacific Crystal Palace - Village Green, Rotorua

Cost: Free

The ARONUI Indigenous Arts Festival Team launches the 2021 Programme and celebrates the commencement of the third ARONUI Festival with live performances by Rewa Ututaonga & Rotorua Girls High School, by professional Te Arawa Dancer – Taiaroa Royal.

TE WERO FASHION SHOW

When: Saturday 11 September, 6.30pm

Where: Energy Events Centre, Rotorua

Cost: VIP: $99.00 and GA: $69.00 via Ticketmaster

Te Wero brings together an infusion of talented emerging and established Māori designers within one gorgeous red-carpet event. This fashion soiree invites the viewer into a story founded in the designer’s connection to the land, history, family, or environment. Each designer’s story is exquisitely woven into a cleverly crafted piece.

PACIFIC CRYSTAL PALACE OPENING NIGHT PARTY WITH ORIGIN ROOTS

When: Saturday 11 September, 9pm Till Late

Who: R18

Where: Pacific Crystal Palace - Village Green, Rotorua

Cost: $20 via Ticketmaster or pay at the door

ARONUI PRESENTS: ORIGIN ROOTS

To celebrate the launch of our Indigenous Arts Festival, ARONUI brings you a night of good vibes with live music from local reggae band ‘Origin Roots’.

This event is sure to sell out, get your tickets from Ticketmaster now or pay at the door.

I AM KING, I AM QUEEN

When: Sunday 12 September, 7pm

& Sunday 19 September, 7pm

Where: Pacific Crystal Palace - Village Green, Rotorua

Cost: $25 - $35 via Ticketmaster

An evening of soul, sexuality and one wom(an’s) journey into drag. Internationally renowned dancer and drag performer Roymata Holmes (they/them) performs their authentic story in a one-person show full of dance, pathos, sparkles and audience interaction. We experience the array of cultures that have influenced his journey including; Pasifika, Australian, New Zealand and First Nation Australians.

Sunday 12 September

Rangatahi Arts Talk

When: Tuesday 14 September, 11am

Where: Yoobee College, Level 2

1120 Eruera Street, Rotorua

Cost: Free

Mural Artist, Mr G, gives a kōrero (talk) about his experience as an artist and his journey in creating the mural of the late Merata Mita.

Graham Hoete aka “Mr G” (Iwi affiliation: Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Awa) is an Internationally known Multi-Disciplinary Māori Artist from Tauranga Moana, New Zealand.

Raised in Kawerau as a child, Mr G started his Artist journey at the age of 4 and is now recognized globally for his visual storytelling through Iconic Murals & Fine Artworks / Portraits throughout the globe.

Graham currently lives in Papamoa with his wife Melissa and their American Bulldog Teddy Boy.

Te Reo Māori Short Films

When: Monday 13 September – Friday 17 September, 12pm

Where: Basement Cinema - 1140 Hinemoa Street, Rotorua.

Cost: $8 - $10 pay at Basement Cinema

A selection of short films celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori! More details on these screenings to follow, soon.

Image: William Davis as ‘Tūī’ from award-winning Reo Māori short, ‘Daddy’s Girl (Kōtiro)

Pīpī Paopao Kids’ Show

When: Tuesday 14 September & Wednesday 15 September, 11am

Where: Pacific Crystal Palace – Village Green, Rotorua

Who: Under 5’s / Local Kōhanga

Cost: Koha

Ka tangi te Tītī, ka tangi te Kākā, ka tangi Hoki ko ēnei Pīpī Paopao! The Tītī chatters, the Kākā cackles, and the Kererū coos - which mānu are you?

Pīpī Paopao is a performance for preschoolers, exploring the unique characteristics of manu (birds) through waiata (song).

Let this one-man-concert-band guide your imagination through music, by echoing the sounds of our native birds until they hatch into song.

Whether you soar through the towering trees, or sit quietly in a shady grove, this ‘concert with kōrero’ is as interactive as you’d like it to be.

Māori Writer’s Kōrero - Whiti Hereaka

When: Tuesday 14 September, 6pm

Where: Mcleod’s Booksellers, 1148 Pukuatua Street, Rotorua

Cost: $10 via Ticketmaster

Award Winning Writer Whiti Hereaka (Ngāti Whakaue) talks about her latest novel Kurangaituku, which retells the story of Hatupatu and Kurangaituku from the bird woman’s point of view. The novel spans from Te Kore to the 1886 eruption of Tarawera. This will be a captivating event not to be missed. Book your tickets now.

Ngā Kakano o ARONUI - The New Works Project

When: Tuesday 14 September & Wednesday 15 September, 7pm

Where: Pacific Crystal Palace – Village Green, Rotorua

Cost: $25 - $35 via Ticketmaster

Come and celebrate the seeds of two new works - 'Ko Tāua' by Bobby Mihi Howard, and 'Dreaming' by Howard Morrison Jnr and Friends

Tuesday 14 September

NZMACI Artist Panels

When: Wednesday 15 September, 12pm

& Thursday 16 September, 11am & 2pm

Where: Rotowhio Marae – Te Puia

Cost: Free

Join Indigenous Carvers, Weavers and Tāmoko Artists as they kōrero (talk) about their various art forms and their journey to date.

ARONUI Te Arawa Stories Exhibition Opening Night

When: Wednesday 15 September, 6pm

Where: Penny Haka Gallery – 9 Tryon Street, Whakarewarewa, Rotorua

Cost: Free

The ARONUI Indigneous Arts Festival celebrates the opening of a new Indigenous group show curated by Logan Shipgood at the Penny Haka Gallery.

Behind the Door with Krissie Knap

When: Thursday 16 September – Saturday 18 September, 7pm

Where: Copthorne Hotel – 328/348 Fenton Street, Rotorua

Cost: $32.50 via Ticketmaster

As a successful local Musician in Rotorua Krissie has travelled an interesting path to get from Kristene (birth name) to Krissie (known as) and she would like to share her story on the stage, in her first written and produced solo show. The show combines her life story with music in a show expected to connect you back to times gone by through music that you remember.

Pacific Dance NZ:XY

When: Thursday 16 September, 7pm

Where: Casa Blanca Theatre – 122 Riri Street, Rotorua

Cost: $10 - $20 via Ticketmaster

XY challenges the audience with reversed roles; of palagi women in Pasifika dance and of women in the traditionally male-performed faataupati. It also tests the rules around what females can and cannot do within our current society.

Hardcase Hori Housie

When: Friday 17 September - 7pm & Saturday 18 September, 6pm

Where: Pacific Crystal Palace – Village Green, Rotorua

Cost: $25 - $35 via Ticketmaster

Ready? Eyes down! Cos there’s a flash new game in town!

Join cheeky host and acclaimed entertainer Rutene Spooner - backed by the hottest house band in the land The Doughboys - as he calls a night of hard-case Māori humour and classic kiwi tunes while you spin, win and grin your way through a game of Housie like never before! It’s the Māori way to play a hardcase game of Hori Housie - just like a game of bingo, only brown.

Māori Writer’s Kōrero - Ruby Solly

When: Friday 17 September, 6pm

Where: Mcleod’s Booksellers, 1148 Pukuatua Street, Rotorua

Cost: Koha

Ruby Solly is a Kai Tahu Musician, Tāonga Puoro Practitioner, Music Therapist and Writer living in Wellington. She visits Rotorua to perform some of her original music, talk about her poetry and her book Tōku Pāpā – which serves as a map of survival for Māori growing up outside of their papakāinga.

Motuhake Kids Show – Jandel J & The Funky Friends

When: Saturday 18 September, 10am & 2pm

Where: Casa Blanca Theatre – 122 Riri Street, Rotorua

Cost: $5 Kids, $10 Adults via Ticketmaster

Motuhake is a highly interactive and magical show for children and families. This story is set in an imaginary world where the main character gets spooked as he journeys through adventures and finds puppets that come to life. Through this he discovers the special talents that only they, he and the puppets have. These are made even more special when they explore sharing these with others.

Troy Kingi & The Upperclass

When: Saturday 18 September, 9.30pm

Where: Pacific Crystal Palace – Village Green, Rotorua

Who: R18

Cost: $55 - $65 via Ticketmaster

Rotorua-born Troy Kingi will be returning to his roots to headline ARONUI. Kingi will be bringing his band The Upperclass with him, along with a growing list of accolades after winning the prestigious Taite Music Prize in 2020, Best New Zealand Soul Artist and Best Māori Artist at the 2018 Vodafone Music Awards, and nominations in 2019 and 2021 for an APRA Silver Scroll.

Celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, and the last night of the ARONUI 2021, his performance will feature a number of songs in Te Reo Māori. Tickets for this will sell fast, so get in quick!

ARONUI Māori Market

When: Sunday 19 September, 11am-3pm

Where: The Ruapeka, Ōhinemutu, Rotorua.

Cost: Free

The ARONUI Māori Market will celebrate the ending of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with delicious kai (food), arts, crafts, kid’s activities, live music and more!