A FEAST FOR ALL THE SENSES, STEEPED IN PASIFIKA TRADITION

Image credit: Mahia Te Kore

Tala Pasifika Productions presents
Takurua - Nafanua, War Goddess
Part of ELEMENTAL AKL
Hunua Room,
Aotea Centre - Aotea – Te Pokapū
14-23 July

Tala Pasifika Productions return to the ELEMENTAL AKL festival this winter, with Takurua - Nafanua, War Goddess - the sequel to their sold-out 2021 production - Takurua - Battle of the Brothers. The evening weaves together the threads of hospitality, theatre and dance for an unforgettable night out, and a highlight of ELEMENTAL AKL’s 2022 programme, with tickets now on sale.
 

Nafanua – War Goddess breathes life into the ancient legend of one of the Pacific's most revered heroines – the warrior Queen Nafanua whose prowess in battle brought peace to Samoa’s warring villages and won her a place in the pantheon of Pasifika gods and goddesses.

Drawing inspiration from Māori hākari and Pasifika feasting rituals, Takurua welcomes you to join a celebration of indigenous practices in food preparation, dance, feasting and theatrical storytelling.

In Samoan history, Nafanua was revered as a goddess after she avenged her uncle and led her Western forces to victory in a bloody civil war between Eastern and Western Samoa. Amidst the chaos of the war, Nafanua stepped up to lead her warriors in a battle for land and power, imbuing four traditional weapons with spiritual powers and using her cunning to lead her forces to victory. Nafanua remains a revered figure in Samoan culture to this day, with this new production celebrating this historical Warrior Princess whose story has become legend.

The vision of artistic Director Tausani Simei-Papali'I, Nafanua, War Goddess is brought to life by Tala Pasifika Productions and renowned Pasifika women's dance collective Ura Tabu. Audiences can expect a sumptuous five-course feast of Neo-Pasifika cuisine designed by head chef Wallace Mua Frost, a Pacific Ava welcoming ceremony followed by ava cocktails, and wine pairing for each course, all while enjoying world-class contemporary dance theatre steeped in Samoan Fale Aitu performance traditions.

Artistic Director Tausani Simei-Papali'I comments that “Māori & Pasifika cuisine needs to be digested in its entirety. For us hospitality is not just about flavour or ingredients, it’s the culture that stands behind the food – the story-telling, dance, music, oratory, that’s what gives us our identity and that’s what the Takurua experience is all about.”

Takurua - Nafanua, War Goddess is an evening at the theatre like no other, and one that needs to be seen (and tasted) to be believed. Perfect for friends, families, and corporate hospitality, this is one event that everyone will be talking about.

Showing for only six performances over two weeks, with limited capacity for each performance, early booking is encouraged! Tickets are now on sale via Ticketmaster.

Tala Pasifika Productions presents
Takurua - Nafanua, War Goddess
Part of ELEMENTAL AKL
14-23 July
Thu - Sat, 7PM

Hunua Rooms
Aotea Centre - Aotea – Te Pokapū
50 Mayoral Drive,
Auckland

Tickets $120-200*
Available via Ticketmaster

*booking fees apply