CultureVulture

How do we navigate the blurry line between appreciating and appropriating a culture that isn't ours? Should artists have the right to tell stories that don't belong to them? And how do we celebrate now-problematic figures from history?

Debating these questions are Rachel House (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Thor: Ragnarok), Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival artistic director Tama Waipara, writer and director Todd Karehana (The  Spectacular Imagination of the Pōhara Brothers, Ahikāroa), curator Mātauranga Māori at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Matariki Williams and filmmaker/producer Julie Zhu.

Part of Auckland Arts Festival’s Talks series curated by Rosabel Tan.

Artist Bios:

Rachel House (Ngai Tahu, Ngati Mutunga) is an actor, director and comedian. She has featured in Thor: Ragnarok, Moana, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

Tama Waipara (Ruapani / Rongowhakaata / Ngāti Porou) is a musician, composer, producer, Director of Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival and Creative Associate at Auckland Arts Festival.

Todd Karehana (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngai Te Rangi, Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Ruapani Ali Waikaremoana) is a writer and director for film and television. His short films include The Spectacular Imagination of the Pōhara Brothers and My Brother Mitchell, and he works as a senior writer on Māori Television’s Ahikāroa.

Matariki Williams (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Hauiti, Taranaki) is Curator Mātauranga Māori at Te Papa and co-founder of ATE: JOURNAL OF MĀORI ART.

Julie Zhu is a producer and filmmaker who is involved with Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga and Racial Equity Aotearoa. Her podcast and video series Conversations With My Immigrant Parents is currently streaming on RNZ.