Waiata in the Woolshed: In Conversation with Emma Maurice and Guests - An Afternoon of Connection
Waiata in the Woolshed brought together everything I value: intimate conversation, cultural connection, and learning grounded in relationship rather than institution.
In a historic working woolshed at Peel Forest, I shared my journey from my RNZ interview - discussing how I’ve navigated identity and academia after not being raised in te ao Māori but deliberately choosing to reconnect with my whakapapa. The afternoon explored how we locate ourselves in historical narratives, how Ngāi Tahu letter writers asserted Indigenous agency, and how these stories shape our understanding of who we are today.
Joined by incredible artists and storytellers - author Jeffrey Paparoa Holman, countertenor Austin Haynes, emerging writer Pounamu Jade Aikman, and waiata ensemble Wāhine on Toa - we created space for audience members to share their own stories and songs. With MC Anah Aikman guiding us, we wove together waiata, narrative, and shared kai in a setting that honoured both tradition and innovation.
Emma has earnt a PHD in Indigenous Philosophy. Her thesis, 'Voices Across a Century: Ngāi Tahu Indigenous agency in Letters to the Editor', looks at the history of how Māori were portrayed in print media from 1850 - right through to the 1950s.
