Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe, me he maunga teitei

Seek the treasure that you value most dearly, if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain

Te Kura Maninirau is Aotearoa’s first kaupapa Māori circus school.

Through a combination of recreational classes and professional development for creatives, the kura aims to create pathways for Māori into the art form. The development of a Māori-accessible tuition framework spearheaded by Tainui Tukiwaho and Eve Gordon will allow our rangatahi a culturally safe environment to learn the extraordinary physical skills and confidence that circus arts have to offer. 

Kaupapa | Purpose

To make circus arts approachable for tangata whenua through a kaupapa Māori pedagogy.

Change the face of circus arts in Aotearoa by centering tangata whenua within circus arts tuition.

Wawata | Vision

Ngā uara | Values

Manaakitanga: Hospitality, kindness, generosity and support - the process of showing respect, generosity and care for others.
Haumarutanga: Active safety, safe practice. Haumaru - safe, risk-free.
Aroha mai, aroha atu: Love received, love returned. Reciprocity between facilitators and students and one another.
Kotahitanga: Unity, togetherness, solidarity, collective action.