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

ALBUM AVAILABLE NOW

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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