Autaia

Autaia returns for its sixth season, bringing together nearly 1,000 tauira from 10 groups across Tāmaki Makaurau and Waikato for two nights of original haka theatre.

Presented by Hawaiki TŪ and Auckland Live, Autaia celebrates the creativity, leadership and storytelling of rangatahi through haka theatre works grounded in te ao haka. Each performance is conceived, written, choreographed and performed by the tauira themselves, supported by professional kaiārahi over a five to six week creative development process.

This year’s kaupapa, Ka Ora Tonu, reflects resilience, collective strength and the enduring spirit of our communities. Through haka, movement, waiata and theatre, rangatahi share stories that speak to their lives today while remaining connected to who they are.

For the first time, Autaia also welcomes Hawaiki TŪ Academy: Tūmata Kōkiri, extending the kaupapa beyond the annual performance season and creating opportunities for rangatahi to continue developing their haka theatre practice.

The three creative categories include:

• Haka Bracket: Haka infused with theatrical storytelling

• Haka Musical: Haka blended with song, drama, and characterisation

• Haka Movement: Storytelling through Haka Movement and choreography

Now in its sixth year, Autaia has grown from three schools in 2021 to a kaupapa spanning three regions, becoming one of Aotearoa’s leading platforms for haka theatre.