ABOUT US
Culturally connected ~ Indigenously Led
Aotearoa Indigenous Contemporary Performance Art
Founded in 2019 Nū Collective was created as a platform to deliver Indigenous Contemporary Performance Art workshops and performances.
Based in Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand. Nū Collective is all about collaboration and welcomes artists of all art forms. Our vision is to create supportive spaces for creative discussions, sharing ideas and helping projects be realised through community engagement and supporting each other's visions.
Vision
We explore the ways creative practices can heal, provide awareness,
and deepen understandings of hauora/wellbeing.
Our key values are:
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Whakawhanaungatanga - building and maintaining strong connections and relationships.
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Mana - working with personal and artistic integrity and authenticity.
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Turangawaewae - facilitating supportive spaces to reclaim a sense of belonging and connection to the natural world.
Collaborators
Jade Whaanga
Jade Whaanga is an Aotearoa (NZ) based Indigenous Dance Artist (Nū Collective founder/ Choreographer/
Performer) who hails from Ngati Rakaipaaka.
She completed her Masters in Dance Studies at The University of Auckland, Jade's research focuses on re-claiming the indigenous feminine body and healing historical trauma through dance as ritual.
Jade delivers indigenous dance workshops regularly onsite. Since 2017 she has been facilitating Hui Wāhine (women circles) and Hui Ringatoi (Creatives gatherings) at various venues for Nū Collective.
Ngaumu Jones/Umu Creative
Ngaumu is a Multidisciplinary artist and founder of Umu Creative. Ngaumu is of Kai Tahu, Kahungunu, Tūhoe, Tainui & Whakatōhea descent. She studied at Elam School of Fine Arts. Her work draws from religious upbringings, Te Ao Māori, Te Taiao, Sci-fi, Anime and the many intersections across these. Channelled through digital spheres as a way to bring these influences into one plain of visual storytelling.
Jake Kīano Skinner
Jake Kīanō Skinner of Ngāti Rangitihi descent is a connection facilitator, sound weaver and musician, specialising in the practice, preservation and restoration of Taonga Pūoro- traditional Māori instruments.
Whitney Zakaria
Whitney Zakaria is an Indigenous Wahine creative with Waikato Tainui/Ngati Korokii Kahukura, Orang Asli & Malayali whakapapa. Whitney is a Kairaranga & Kaimirimiri born and raised in Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa.
Whitney's mentors have helped her find her feet in the world of Toi Māori (specifically Raranga) and Indigenous Māori Healing. Whitney created the pākihi Tamatoa Creative to create Toi Māori commissions and one-offs. Tamatoa creative has since branched out to hold community wānanga for people to hui and learn the fundamentals of Raranga.
Alesha Mehta
Alesha Mehta is an Indian woman born and raised in Aotearoa
Alesha's curiosity lays within the realm of cultural agency and activation in performance practice through decolonial and feminist lenses. She uses four elements with ritual practice to explore her cultural heritage within dance.
Chanwyn Southgate
Born in Cape Town, South Africa with European and St Helena heritage, raised in West Auckland. University of Auckland Dance Studies graduate, & Secondary Dance Teacher, Chanwyn is extremely passionate about utilizing choreographic processes and choreography to inspire the next generation of movers.
Sherrick Martin
Maryam Al-Roubaiai
Born and raised in Canada, and of Syrian and Iraqi heritage, Maryam is a natural healer with a deep passion for helping others. She is a certified Yoga Instructor, a Reiki Practitioner and Space Creator who believes in the importance of unity, love and collective energy towards healing.
Sherrick of Tūhoe, Whakatōhea, and Ngāti Maniapoto descent, focuses on work with Rangatira within the indigenous Māori dance research sector and working alongside them on projects that focus on the revitalisation of matauranga Māori concepts within the creative arts. Sherrick has done projects with ‘Atamira Dance Company’, ‘NZX-next’ led by Kiel Tutin, and ‘Nappyboyz’ a South Auckland dance company advocating for brown success.
Rosanna Walsh
Rosanna of Ngā Puhi descent is an IT specialist and Website Designer. She studied Software development at Whitecliffe College and Web Development and Design at Vision College. She is also passionate about music as a singer and expressing through creativity.
Pia Sidhwa
Pia is a multi-disciplinary visual artist with a decade of experience in photography, cinematography, filmmaking, editing and illustration. Coming from a fine art background she has honed a mastery over the world of aesthetics. Coupled with the heart and mind of a storyteller, this combination gifts her both explorative abilities and the efficiency to carry out projects.
Renee Wiki
In 2017, Renee Wiki of Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī and Pukapuka, Cook Islands descent became a dancer of freshly founded AUĒ Dance company. Becoming a teacher, facilitator and choreographer of Pacific and Street dance techniques with contemporary dance aesthetics. Currently, Renee has been exploring her practice through Te ao Māori, Maramataka and Vedic Astrology on how everything and everyone is interconnected to all in our world, our universe.
Testimonies
"These meetings are empowering. I have attended many of the wāhine gatherings by Nū Collective, and each time I come away feeling grounded, refreshed and positive. Jade has facilitated a number of wāhine gatherings that have provided a safe space for like-minded women to connect, and find friendship and support. It has been a fantastic way to gain perspective on personal situations, and to reinforce our connection with culture and language, the environment, and with each other. Jade encourages reciprocity, and somehow finds a way to allow everyone to speak their truth free from judgement. She provides insight in a respectful, encouraging and safe manner. I always feel seen and heard at these meetings, both in person and online, and cannot recommend them more."
- Emily Baker
“I’ve attended two of the Nū Collective Women’s Workshops in person, and a further three workshops virtually during lockdown. In every session I have come away feeling a deeper sense of calm, clarity and self-understanding. The workshops are an incredible space where I was able to feel safe and comfortable to share my experiences and current life challenges with the other women in this supportive, judgement-free forum. The in-person sessions included explorations of our physicality through movement and mau rakau. I struggle to connect my mind with my sense of physical self so I found these especially beneficial. Jade shows a real knowledge of spiritual mindfulness and connectivity with the natural world and uses this understanding to give us guidance to find our own connection with our deeper selves and our spiritual sides.”
-Carolyn Dando
Testimonies
“Jade is a powerful wahine and an amazing dancer! I had a wonderful experience attending her "Marama Wahine" Moon Circle for women. It really allowed me to let go and create new energy around some tasks I had been avoiding for months! I can't wait to attend the next one! Thanks so much Jade!”.
-Amelia Butler
“The Wahine gatherings lead by Jade were insightful and engaging. The amount of work and research put into the offerings were impressive, and it really opened up a lot of discussions around vulnerability that I didn’t expect. Jade was also great at creating a container for our healing.”
-Francoise Aroha Danoy
Performance
"The experience was very spiritual it almost felt like you had taken me right back to the old ways, I felt like it was a sense of cleansing that you were guiding us to that place”
-George Teiho
"It was primal and confronting, beautiful and real, but it was also thoughtful and performed, deliberate and purposeful"
-Richard Williams
"I felt it, thank you for this sacred offering you all shared with us"
-Audience member
"It was so mana wāhine"
-Kahukura