The rediscovered soundscapes of Aotearoa’s ancient musical heritage
In short: Experience the rare sounds of taonga puoro, traditional Māori instruments that fell silent for nearly two centuries. This presentation explores how these carved objects served as the literal voices of the land in ritual and ceremony.
Scholar Richard Nunns explores a diverse repertoire of fifty different instruments, primarily flutes, trumpets, and percussion. Crafted from wood, bone, stone, and shell, these taonga puoro are characterized by exquisite detail and were central to the rituals of traditional Māori communities.
Because these sounds were rarely heard after the early nineteenth century, Nunns’s work serves as a vital cultural recovery. His performance is grounded in extensive research, weaving together musicality with the specific stories and functions of each instrument to restore lost traditional knowledge.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Nga Reo o te Whenua (Voices of the Land): Traditional Maori Instruments and Music - Richard Nunns
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