Makereti: Taking Māori to the World
Makereti and her Te Arawa troupe
Crystal Palace Theatre programme, October 1911, Letterpress on flier, Ephemera Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library, Reference: Eph-D-Maori-Concerts-1911-01
Makereti and her Te Arawa troupe
Mita Taupopoki, speaking in Maori, said they had arrived in a strange land, which was nevertheless the Home beyond the Skies, the land which they had all longed to see, for it was the home of their King.
- The Times, 1 May 1911, p. 14
Makereti's entrepreneurial talents marked her out from other guides at Whakarewarewa. As well as organising concerts in Rotorua, she led groups of performers to other parts of New Zealand.
In 1909 Makereti took her Te Arawa troupe, complete with a carved village, to perform in Sydney. The success of the 10-week season led to a more ambitious trip in 1910 to Melbourne, Sydney and on to England for the Coronation of King George V.
Despite favourable publicity, the English tour was not a financial success. Half the troupe decided to remain in England, despite protests from Makereti and others. When Makereti and the remainder of the group returned to Whakarewarewa, they endured a violent reception from their relatives.
Permission of the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa must be obtained before any reuse of this image
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