Historical Overview of Theatre in Aotearoa/New Zealand

1. Historical Overview of Theatre in Aotearoa/New Zealand

2. Polynesian Exploration • ancestors of the Maori arrived in Aotearoa from East Polynesia c.800 CE • Aotearoa = “Land of the Long White Cloud” • established tribal kin groups • remained undisturbed until first European explorers arrived in 17C

3. European ExplorationAbel Tasman, 1642 • From Holland • employee of the Dutch East Indies Company • Searching for Terra Australis Incognita, the legendary, rich southern land • Encountered Aotearoa, called it “Nieuw Zeeland” after the Dutch province

4. James Cook, 1769 • British sailor and navigator • also sent to search for southern land, but proved it didn’t exist • circumnavigated Aotearoa/New Zealand • interaction and trade with local Maori • first complete map

5. Cook’s Map of New Zealand

6. Navigation --> • Trade --> • Industry & commerce --> • Missionaries --> • Christian settlement --> • Immigrants --> • Systematic colonization

7. European Immigration 19C • European settlement from 1830s • “Britain of the South” • “classless society” • opportunity to start new lives • evangelical influence: “humane colonization”

8. The Treaty of Waitangi, 1840(Te Tiriti o Waitangi)

9. Two Peoples, One Nation?

10. Drama in Aotearoa/New Zealand • Three general periods: • 19C Colonial drama • 1900-1945 Amateur period • Post-1945 Postcolonial dramatic consciousness

11. 19C Drama of Colonization • 1850-1900 was a period in which the dramatic text was not particularly valued as literature • early theatrical activity was a showcase for “Old World” fashion • developing cities; military camps; goldfields • farces, melodramas, Shakespeare festivals, variety performances, musicals, local satirical dramas • “scenic spectaculars” (1870s-1890s) • end of 19C = first sense of emergent local identity

12. Amateur Movement, 1900-1945 • rapid increase in amateur theatre • Repertory Theatres in most cities • British Drama League • University drama societies • realism; national identity • Mulgan, Three Plays of New Zealand (1920) • The Workers’ Theatre (late 1930s)

13. Early Postcolonial Period • After WWII, cultural dictates of parent culture begin to be questioned; more complex probing of cultural identity • distinct signs of change in theatrical environment • writers in other genres exploring possibilities of the stage • mid-1960s: Community Theatres established, encouraged new generation of professional dramatists

14. Late Postcolonial Period • 1975: International Women’s Year; Maori Land March • time of social change: “Maori Renaissance” • post-1975 a new era in NZ literature. Flourishing of women, Maori, gay and lesbian writers; writing by other ethnic groups, such as Chinese, Pacific Island. • drama becomes increasingly diverse; minority voices and marginalized groups acknowledged; new issues explored; new modes of theatrical experimentation introduced

15. Maori Dramatic Literature • oral traditions until European settlement (inc. performance) • 1815 Maori orthography • writing and print = profound social change • emphasis on English • by 1970s, fears that spoken Maori might be dying out • revival programs; literacy for pedagogical purposes

16. Four “Stages” of Maori Drama • 1. (1960s/1970s) Assimilation, conforming to Pakeha models. Works mostly in English. • 2. (late 1970s) Questioning of cultural constructs, elements of resistance. • 3. (1980s) Resistance/revolt. Works that address loss of cultural heritage, openly condemning Pakeha intervention. “Confrontational” use of Maori language. • 4. (1990s - present) New generation of dramatists taking different position in relation to polycultural society; asking new questions; Maori language used as tool for articulating new perspectives.