User:Pakoire/Te Rākau

Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu is a Māori Theatre company formed in 1989 by Jim Moriarty and others. It is also known as Te Rākau.

Origins
The name Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu was given to Jim Moriarty by Ngati Toa elder Harata Horomona. The translation into English is: "The blossoming fruit tree of our sacred grove."

Purpose
Member of Te Rākau since 1999, and trustee Helen Pearse-Otene describes the mission of the company: "'I present Te Rākau as a kaupapa Māori theatre company dedicated to creating live performance that is unapologetically political, socially challenging, emotionally charged and therapeutic.' (Helen Pearse-Otene, 2020)"