Aotearoa’s biennial contemporary Tāngata Whenua, Tāngata Moana and Indigenous arts festival Kia Mau returns to Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui from 30 May – 14 June 2025, marking its 10th anniversary and the 8th iteration of the festival. Setting the stage for two weeks of live performance, storytelling and artistic excellence, the festival announces its first two shows with the return of the hugely popular ‘Avaiki Nui, and Atamira Dance Company’s acclaimed Ka Mua Ka Muri.
Kia Mau Festival, led by Tāngata Whenua, Tāngata Moana, and Indigenous voices at every level, is a hub of innovators – pushing boundaries, redefining forms, and forging new paths with creative risk-taking at every step. The 2025 festival brings together and uplifts local, national and international artists to present groundbreaking work across disciplines while offering space for kōrero and whanaungatanga.
“With every Kia Mau Festival, we strive to create a welcoming space for everyone to be seen, felt and heard. This year, we can’t wait to bring together our communities in a vibrant celebration of emerging voices, new art and Indigenous joy.” says Artistic Director, Hone Kouka.
Following its success at the 2023 festival, Kia Mau invites audiences to bask in the island heat and share in a musical journey of the Cook Islands with ‘Avaiki Nui Social Returns. A collection of celebrated musicians from across Porirua, Tāmaki Makaurau and Rarotonga are invited to Pōneke on 9 June to he ngaru nui, the mainstage, at the Michael Fowler Centre to explore the rich history of Cook Islands string bands.
‘Avaiki Nui Social Returns includes music from celebrated Cook Islands musician Papa Faipoto Aporo and storytelling by Tuaratini and Jarcinda Stowers-Ama, images by The Raro Dog and direction by Kia Mau’s own co-founder, Mīria George. Listen in, sing along and dance to the songs that create the soundtrack to the moments of a lifetime.
The renowned Atamira Dance Company, a leading force in contemporary Māori performance, bring Ka Mua Ka Muri to Te Upoko-o-te-ika-a-Māui for the first time. Following successful performances around the motu in 2024, tradition collides with innovation in this remarkable work from acclaimed choreographers and long-time collaborators Bianca Hyslop (Te Arawa) and Eddie Elliott (Ngāti Maniapoto). This unique and powerful double bill is a high-energy, emotionally resonant exploration of Mātauranga Māori, blending cultural storytelling with dynamic contemporary choreography.
Derived from and inspired by, the whakataukī ‘kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua’,
Ka Mua Ka Muri relates to Māori perspectives of time where the past, present and future are intertwined, exploring the significance of whakapapa while defining new aspirations for the future. Six dynamic Māori dance artists will bring Remain by Elliot and Whakamaheahea by Hyslop to the stage on 5 June at The Opera House.
Kia Mau Festival
30 May – 14 June 2025
