‘Hula is life’ Māori Prodigy take the stage at Merrie Monarch

By Mahi Tahi Media

“The students that know their language growing up are the best performing artists you’re going to see on stage”.

Te Awa Manning is a champion Hula performer who is both Hawaiian and Māori.

He’s won the prestigious Hula competition in Hawai’i called the Merrie Monarch and he’s now living in Aotearoa to help reconnect to his whakapapa here and embrace Te Reo.

But Hula is still a big part of his life and identity so he travels back and forth to practice and perform.

In this episode of Ohinga, Te Awa explains the power and prestige of Hula - and how it helps bring him closer to his culture. 

“It’s a dance, it’s a song and it talks about who we are as Hawai’i”.

This is part of our reo Māori series, Ohinga, created by Mahi Tahi Media, with funding from Te Māngai Pāho. Stay tuned for a new episode every week.

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