

Pīpī Paopao is a performance for tamariki aged 3–5 and their whānau, singing the stories and birdsong of our manu rangatira (noble birdlife) through waiata and play.
The brilliant Rutene Spooner, musical and cabaret performer extraordinaire, employs the Māori traditions of using proverbs and metaphors of the natural world to teach and prepare our own little hatchlings, so they too may flourish and fly into a world of their own.
They may be the kind who soar through the towering trees, or sit quietly in a shady grove – either way, this piece of theatre-through-song is as interactive as you’d like it to be. Whether you are fluent in te reo Māori or at the start of your journey, come and explore the beauty of the traditional language that echoes the sounds of te taiao (nature).
CAST
CREATIVES
Rutene Spooner
Creator / Performer
Bray Jeffery
Performer
Miriama McDowell
Dramaturge / Director
Ani-Piki Tuari
Consultant
Te Ura Hoskins
Costume Designer

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PAST SHOWS
2022
Nelson Arts Festival | Schools Tour
Te Tairawhiti Arts Festival - Renalds Hall, Tologa Bay
Tauranga Arts Festival - Baycourt Comunity Arts Center
2023
Auckland Arts Festival - Woah Studios
Te Tairawhiti Arts Festival - Lawson Field Theatre
Cambridge Town Hall - Matariki Day Celebrations
Waikato Museum - Matariki Day Celebrations