scholarly journals Performing Arts Festivals, Festivalization and Global Public Sphere: Locating DNT Performances of India and the Māori Performances of Aotearoa/New Zealand in Post-colonial Asia-Pacific

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Swatibahen Bhatt
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Public Sphere ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Performing Arts ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Arts Festivals ◽  
Arts Festival

<p>The project aims at theorising the idea of ‘festivalization’ of the local and global public sphere generated by performing arts festivals. The thesis challenges the concept of ‘festival’ in its popular framework of a celebratory event that is well-planned, culture specific and entertaining. I provide three different study models to accommodate my theoretical conceptualization and discuss the theory in detail in context of selected case studies.  The research also seeks to investigate the politics around (re)presentation of indigeneity through the medium of theatre within various socio-political contexts through case studies from several Indigenous theatre groups located in Oceania and beyond. The project offers detailed discussion of the first two theoretical models developed by me in context of case studies from India and Aotearoa/New Zealand followed by an exploration of the artistic festivals and their implications within and beyond Oceania in context of my third and final study model.  The theoretical models study theatre performances in the contexts of their representation, reception and efficacy within the festival generated space as well as the initiatives of Indigenous communities across the globe to create artistic festivals to celebrate their Indigeneity and authority over Indigenous arts. These two focuses together will locate the reception, representation and (re)production of Indigeneity through the medium of theatre within the festivalized space locally and globally. The third study model finally locates the festival itself within both local and global space to explore its political implications within the socio-political context.  I also aim to investigate the politics behind provisions of ‘space’ and ‘funds’ for the international display of indigeneity through international performing arts festivals; and juxtapose the tourist centred performing arts festival against the festival created by the Indigenous communities through funding generated though ‘donations’ made by local communities. The discussions on this segment is focused on the politics of (mis)presentation of indigeneity through hybrid performances alongside exotic traditional indigenous performances on international stages.  As an Indian citizen, crossing multiple boundaries between the so-called third world, indigenous world and metropolitan culture, I am aware about, respect and acknowledge the Indigenous intellectual and cultural property rights. Being a non-Indigenous researcher working with Indigenous communities, I followed the principles of ‘decolonising methodologies’ (Smith, 1999). I am aware and adhered to the matters including self-determination, cultural aspiration, socio-economic mediation, culturally preferred pedagogy, collective philosophy, extended family structures, respect to Treaty of Waitangi and growing respectful relationships as essential aspects of conducting this research. I have applied collectively chosen pedagogy and philosophy when I conducted the interviews within Indigenous communities and when wrote about them in my thesis.  Indigenous theatre within the context of performing arts festival is a rarely explored area of post-colonial studies which makes the present project significant in itself. The project will document original ideas directly from indigenous theatre practitioners and their experiences of participation in international performing arts festivals. And finally, I believe this study could contribute to a better understanding of the politics of international performing arts festivals in (re) producing indigeneity, distinct from their conventional reception as an exotic 'other' culture.</p>

scholarly journals Performing Arts Festivals, Festivalization and Global Public Sphere: Locating DNT Performances of India and the Māori Performances of Aotearoa/New Zealand in Post-colonial Asia-Pacific

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Swatibahen Bhatt
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Public Sphere ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Performing Arts ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Post Colonial ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Arts Festivals ◽  
Arts Festival

<p>The project aims at theorising the idea of ‘festivalization’ of the local and global public sphere generated by performing arts festivals. The thesis challenges the concept of ‘festival’ in its popular framework of a celebratory event that is well-planned, culture specific and entertaining. I provide three different study models to accommodate my theoretical conceptualization and discuss the theory in detail in context of selected case studies.  The research also seeks to investigate the politics around (re)presentation of indigeneity through the medium of theatre within various socio-political contexts through case studies from several Indigenous theatre groups located in Oceania and beyond. The project offers detailed discussion of the first two theoretical models developed by me in context of case studies from India and Aotearoa/New Zealand followed by an exploration of the artistic festivals and their implications within and beyond Oceania in context of my third and final study model.  The theoretical models study theatre performances in the contexts of their representation, reception and efficacy within the festival generated space as well as the initiatives of Indigenous communities across the globe to create artistic festivals to celebrate their Indigeneity and authority over Indigenous arts. These two focuses together will locate the reception, representation and (re)production of Indigeneity through the medium of theatre within the festivalized space locally and globally. The third study model finally locates the festival itself within both local and global space to explore its political implications within the socio-political context.  I also aim to investigate the politics behind provisions of ‘space’ and ‘funds’ for the international display of indigeneity through international performing arts festivals; and juxtapose the tourist centred performing arts festival against the festival created by the Indigenous communities through funding generated though ‘donations’ made by local communities. The discussions on this segment is focused on the politics of (mis)presentation of indigeneity through hybrid performances alongside exotic traditional indigenous performances on international stages.  As an Indian citizen, crossing multiple boundaries between the so-called third world, indigenous world and metropolitan culture, I am aware about, respect and acknowledge the Indigenous intellectual and cultural property rights. Being a non-Indigenous researcher working with Indigenous communities, I followed the principles of ‘decolonising methodologies’ (Smith, 1999). I am aware and adhered to the matters including self-determination, cultural aspiration, socio-economic mediation, culturally preferred pedagogy, collective philosophy, extended family structures, respect to Treaty of Waitangi and growing respectful relationships as essential aspects of conducting this research. I have applied collectively chosen pedagogy and philosophy when I conducted the interviews within Indigenous communities and when wrote about them in my thesis.  Indigenous theatre within the context of performing arts festival is a rarely explored area of post-colonial studies which makes the present project significant in itself. The project will document original ideas directly from indigenous theatre practitioners and their experiences of participation in international performing arts festivals. And finally, I believe this study could contribute to a better understanding of the politics of international performing arts festivals in (re) producing indigeneity, distinct from their conventional reception as an exotic 'other' culture.</p>

Last Words (For Now)

2020 ◽  
pp. 157-158
Author(s):  
Sharon Mazer
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
York City ◽  
Performing Arts ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Arts Festival ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Madison Square Garden

The move to Aotearoa New Zealand was transformative in ways I could not have imagined when I left New York City “temporarily” in 1994. From the cheap seats at Madison Square Garden to the VIP tent at Te Matatini National Māori Performing Arts Festival, I continue to embrace the excitement (and terror) of entering into theatre and performance arenas that are emphatically not mine, and to be touched, always, by the generosity of performers and audiences no matter where I find myself. It is tempting to picture Johnny, Larry, and the others frozen in time and space, still at Gleason’s right where I left them. And indeed, Johnny is still there, still teaching youngsters the game and maintaining his claim to fame. He has a website: the ...

scholarly journals The ethics of care and transformational research practices in Aotearoa New Zealand

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 340-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tula Brannelly ◽  
Amohia Boulton
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Ethics Of Care ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Practice Research ◽  
Research Partnership ◽  
Research Partnerships ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
The People ◽  
Dialogic Approach ◽  
The Relationship

Democratising methodologies often require research partnerships in practice. Research partnerships between indigenous and non-indigenous partners are commonplace, but there is unsatisfactory guidance available to non-indigene researchers about how to approach the relationship in a way that builds solidarity with the aims of the indigenous community. Worse still, non-indigenous researchers may circumvent indigenous communities to avoid causing offense, in effect silencing those voices. In this article, we argue that the ethics of care provides a framework that can guide ethical research practice, because it attends to the political positioning of the people involved, acknowledges inequalities and aims to address these in solidarity with the community. Drawing on our research partnership in Aotearoa New Zealand, we explain how the ethics of care intertwines with Māori values, creating a synergistic and dialogic approach.

scholarly journals Towards a New Pacific Theatre: Practice‐Led Enquiry into a Model of Theatre Making that Relates  to the Geography, Cultures and Spiritual Values of  Aotearoa/New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Bert Van Dijk
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Performing Arts ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Specific Work ◽  
Site Specific ◽  
Devised Theatre ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Intercultural Performance ◽  
Time Space ◽  
And Performance

<p>This practice‐led research enquiry sets out to develop and test a model of theatre practice that relates to the unique geographic, cultural and spiritual dimensions of Aotearoa/New Zealand. In this practice, actors are connected with their body and the earth (they have feet), archetypal qualities inherent in nature and culture are incorporated into training and performance (return of the gods), a sense of adventure and risk‐taking is emphasized, and the practice relates to the multiple cultures and communities of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Presence, defined as the ability to be sensorially alive in the moment, and site‐specific performance, a creative response to locality, emerged as two of the key strategies to connect with self, other and the environment.  By investigating selected principles, strategies and values from the indigenous, pre‐European, Māori performing arts (whare tapere), devised theatre, the Michael Chekhov technique, and Japanese Noh theatre, an intercultural approach to site specific theatre evolved that interweaves the four pathways of collaboration, connection, exploration and transformation and their corresponding values. After considering the political and ethical issues of intercultural performance a number of principles to guide the process of intercultural exchange were formulated and tested. A vital component of this study was the creative development and performance of Ex_isle of Strangers – a site‐specific work developed in response to the tangible and intangible dimensions of Matiu/Somes Island. The research generated moments of practice that investigated the creative potential of residential devising processes and the transformative value of audience mobility in performances that involve physical and metaphorical journeying. These moments provided the participants (performers and spectators) time, space and opportunity to interact with one another and with the site they occupied, thus significantly increasing their level of physical and mental engagement with the work.</p>

scholarly journals Developing training for pioneer ministry in the Church of Scotland: Reflections on grounding pedagogy and lessons in practice from abroad

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-27
Author(s):  
Alexander Forsyth
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Theological Education ◽  
Church Of Scotland ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Historical Tradition ◽  
Training And Support ◽  
The Church

This article focusses on the formation and delivery of training and support for pioneer ministry in the Church of Scotland, by (i) reflecting on recent thinking on the place of theological education in enabling missional vocation; and (ii) presenting three case studies of approaches taken by denominations (in the Netherlands, Germany and Aotearoa New Zealand) which share a similar historical tradition with the Church of Scotland and which have seen similar trajectories of decline.

Indigenous Teacher Education in Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celia Haig-Brown ◽  
Te Kawehau Hoskins
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Indigenous Education ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Policy Document ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Treaty Of Waitangi

Indigenous teacher education has proven to be a powerful influence in the resurgence of Indigenous cultures and languages globally. In Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand, while there are numerous distinctions between the countries in size, linguistic and cultural diversity, and the histories of Indigenous peoples and colonization, an Indigenous commitment to schooling has shaped long-term and recent aspirations in both contexts. Within Canada, the proliferation of Indigenous teacher education programs is a direct result of a 1972 landmark national policy document Indian Control of Indian Education. This document written by Indigenous leaders in response to the Canadian government was the culmination of a decades-long, relentless commitment to creating the best possible schooling systems for Indigenous students within the provinces and territories. In 2015, despite some significant gains, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada completed its work articulating Calls to Action that reinforce the original recommendations, particularly the focus on Indigenous control of education. In the Aotearoa New Zealand context, the establishment of Māori language schooling pathways and Māori medium teacher education programs has been made possible by activism focused on the recognition of Indigenous-Māori rights to language and culture guaranteed by the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. Forms of constitutional recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi mean that New Zealand endorses a social policy of biculturalism. From the 1970s and 1980s, responses to exclusionary and racist colonial policies and practices have led to the creation of teacher education programs in both Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand transforming universities and schools and establishing spaces of Indigenous authority, activism and expertise. While the pace of change varies radically from place to place and from institution to institution, and the specific contexts of the two countries differ in important ways, the innumerable Indigenous graduates of the programs make ongoing contributions to Indigenizing, decolonizing, and educating Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities alike. The growth and strengthening of an Indigenous education sector have led to significant policy and curriculum reforms across the education systems and to ongoing engagement in critique, advocacy, research, and practice. Throughout their development, Indigenous leadership and control of the programs remain the immediate and long-range goals.

scholarly journals Natural monuments: rethinking arboreal heritage for twenty-first-century Aotearoa New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Susette Goldsmith
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Evaluation Methods ◽  
First Century ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Twenty First Century ◽  
Critical Heritage ◽  
Heritage Discourse ◽  
New Zealanders

<p>The twenty-first century is imposing significant challenges on nature in general with the arrival of climate change, and on arboreal heritage in particular through pressures for building expansion. This thesis examines the notion of tree heritage in Aotearoa New Zealand at this current point in time and questions what it is, how it comes about, and what values, meanings and understandings and human and non-human forces are at its heart. While the acknowledgement of arboreal heritage can be regarded as the duty of all New Zealanders, its maintenance and protection are most often perceived to be the responsibility of local authorities and heritage practitioners. This study questions the validity of the evaluation methods currently employed in the tree heritage listing process, tree listing itself, and the efficacy of tree protection provisions. The thesis presents a multiple case study of discrete sites of arboreal heritage that are all associated with a single native tree species—karaka (Corynocarpus laevigatus). The focus of the case studies is not on the trees themselves, however, but on the ways in which the tree sites fill the heritage roles required of them entailing an examination of the complicated networks of trees, people, events, organisations, policies and politics situated within the case studies, and within arboreal heritage itself. Accordingly, the thesis adopts a critical theoretical perspective, informed by various interpretations of Actor Network Theory and Assemblage Theory, and takes a ‘counter-’approach to the authorised heritage discourse introducing a new notion of an ‘unauthorised arboreal heritage discourse’. The thesis introduces alternative examples of arboreal heritage to the contemporary heritage canon paving the way for other forms of heritage that may remain mired in the expectations of the twentieth century’s authorised heritage discourse. In doing so it elevates arboreal heritage as a valid part of physical heritage and a worthy topic for further critical heritage study. The research findings show that in contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand trees have been active in forging links between the past, the present and the future in new and powerful ways transcending the received evaluation methods and establishing a new rhetoric of arboreal indigeneity. Through the lens of tree registers, the research contributes to a better understanding of both natural heritage and heritage in general and, while firmly placed in the New Zealand context, provides a basis for critical heritage studies of related subjects elsewhere. 2 Little has been written about arboreal heritage in Aotearoa New Zealand. As the first academic study of the topic, the thesis fills gaps in academic and professional knowledge of the tree heritage process. It introduces interdisciplinary ideas, from both the sciences and the humanities, and draws attention to tree heritage as a significant historical, social, economic, cultural and environmental contributor to the well-being of New Zealanders. The case studies demonstrate that effective, contemporary stewardship requires a revised ‘tree sense’ that acknowledges that arboreal heritage is founded on complex and various values, meanings and understandings, and is manifest in many different forms. Drawing on the archival, documentary and empirical research undertaken, the thesis proposes a democratisation of arboreal heritage decision-making, and contributes a set of principles to facilitate the negotiation of arboreal heritage acknowledgement and protection by communities, local authorities and heritage practitioners.</p>

scholarly journals Unsettling the (presumed) settled: Contents and Discontents of Contraception in Aotearoa New Zealand

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 90-96
Author(s):  
N. S. Appleton
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
Oral Contraceptives ◽  
Medical Devices ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Press Release ◽  
Over The Counter ◽  
The Gaze ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Access To Contraception

In January 2017, New Zealand’s medicines and medical devices safety authority, Medsafe,  announced in a press release that its Medicines Classification Committee (MCC) had recommended a reclassification of certain oral contraceptives in order for them to be made available over the counter in pharmacies.  In A/NZ, a progressive temporal narrative has been established around contraception that begins with the heroic struggle of women at the turn of the 20th Century to get access to contraception and abortion as a way to manage their reproductive lives and progresses to the guaranteed access of contraceptives to women. My intention to interrogate the contemporary contraceptive reality is not a project to undermine the historically important moves women have made here in A/NZ; but, rather, to include new places of analysis including how indigenous communities experienced the same contraceptives moments differently under the gaze of a eugenics project.

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