A significant feature of the ritual, ceremonial and spiritual life of the traditional Maori was the use of nga Taonga Puoro. These musical instruments, played by the Tohunga or religious expert, created a line of communication between Ira Tangata or the temporal world and Ira Atua the spiritual domain.

The use of these instruments fell away in the nineteenth century. Within a short space of time little was remembered about their use or function and no-one knew how to play them. In the last quarter of the twentieth century an effort was made to capture back any knowledge that may have been retained, to reconstruct the instruments and to learn to play them. This process, undertaken by Brian Flintoff, Hirini Melbourne and Richard Nunns, has triggered a revival of interest in these iconic voices of Aotearoa. It is indeed difficult to conceive of a quintessential sound or voice of this country that does not incorporate them in some way or other.

It is significant that in this region where the first musical encounter took place between Tangata Whenua and Tauiwi - between local Maori and Tasman's crew, where we live amongst an abundance of precious resources needed to create these extraordinary instruments, we also host Aotearoa's finest maker of Taonga Puoro - Brian Flintoff.

Visit Profile of the artist

Brian Flintoff