He Tangata: Wellington Pride’s Opening Gala Was a Breath-taking unveiling of takatāpuitanga
On 13 March in the Wellington Opera House, a building so often dominated by cis white gays, came the launch event of the Wellington pride festival, He Tangata. Created, performed and co-directed by Jayden Rurawhe and Paris Elwood, the piece was emotional, conceptual, beautiful, and proud to its core. A beautiful, heart-wrenching and hopeful display of the past, present and future of takatāpui in Aotearoa.
“Takatāpui” has no direct English translation, and as a white queer person myself, I do not have the nuance to attempt an explanation in my own words. “Takatapui.nz - A resource hub” describes the word and its meaning as “a Māori word, historically meaning 'intimate companion of the same sex'. The term was reclaimed in the 1980s and used by individuals who were gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex or part of the rainbow community. The use of 'takatāpui' as an identity is a response to western ideas of sex, sexuality and gender, and emphasises one's identity as Māori as inextricably linked to their gender identity or sexuality.”
“He tangata”, however, translates seamlessly, with legendary trans MP Georgina Beyer triumphantly reciting “he tangata, he tangata, he tangata. The people, the people, the people”, at the closing of the show. The show, seemingly named in a celebration of unity and oneness, was beautifully choreographed, directed and performed. The event page describes it as “exploring whakapapa and stories of takatāpui existence, to remember, mourn and heal from generational trauma”.
He Tangata told a story in motion, dancers relaying a history of queerness and takatāpui before and during colonisation; of how takatāpui were an accepted and revered part of Māori culture, with the show’s co-director Jayden stating “It is only through the white fingerprints of colonisation that this harmony was severed. But it is time to reclaim, to let our stories and voices be heard. To remind the world that we have always belonged. That we will always be He Tangata.”
The closing of the show featured speeches from the show’s creators, contributors and supporters, with queer MPs such as Elizabith Kerekere and Georgina Beyer taking the stage by storm. The most powerful of such speakers was Jayden Rurawhe. Emotionally, Jayden stated “I have always been told that I would never be a dancer. That I was too fat, too tall, and too Māori to dance… Fuck that. But this is my night, and it is my driving passion, and here I am, a big-bodied fem non-binary takatāpui taking up all this space in this motherfucking colonial building.” And with that the roof of the ornate theatre was lifted, screams and cheers of queers, proud in every way, tore through the walls.
I have rarely felt such support in an audience. The willingness to listen and to sympathise, to understand and appreciate. He Tangata truly brought the people together, with every single soul leaving feeling more seen and less alone than they did before. It was, truly, one of the best ways to start Pride Month in Wellington.