Māori Workshop Series with Amelia Butler

Join Māori cultural practitioner Amelia Butler for a special workshop series celebrating the rich traditions of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Designed to be welcoming and inclusive, these workshops are open to all skill levels, all genders, and all generations, making them a wonderful opportunity for all to share in this learning experience as a community.

Choose from a menu of four unique workshops, or experience them all:

• Haka – Learn the fundamentals of this cultural tradition that blends synchronized movement, rhythmic chanting, expressive facial gestures, and collective energy to honor heritage and build unity.
• Waiata-ā-Ringa – Learn a Māori action song that combines expressive hand movements, singing, and storytelling to share language, history, and cultural identity.
• Tī Rākau – Develop rhythm, coordination, and teamwork through the traditional Māori stick game, using patterned movements and partner exchanges.
• Short Poi – Explore the graceful art of short poi while building timing, coordination, and flow through movements rooted in Māori performance and storytelling traditions.

Whether learning about Māori culture for the first time or looking to deepen your understanding, this workshop series offers an engaging, hands-on experience that celebrates connection, community, and cultural learning. 

Please note: tickets to this event are non-refundable; should you be unable to attend, you may share your ticket with someone using Ticketstripe's "ticket sharing" feature.

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About Amelia Butler

Amelia Butler is an Indigenous Māori woman of Ngātiwai, Ngāti Awa, and Ngāpuhi descent who has dedicated more than two decades to sharing Māori language, performing arts, and cultural traditions with communities around the world.

Amelia holds a Bachelor of Arts with a focus in Māori language, culture, and performance, as well as a Bachelor of Laws specializing in Māori Land Law from the University of Auckland. Since moving to the United States in 2009, she has become a respected international educator, teaching at universities, cultural institutions, schools, nonprofit organizations, and community groups throughout the U.S. and abroad. She is the founder and director of Learn Māori Abroad, an organization dedicated to making authentic Māori language and cultural education accessible to learners worldwide, and has served as a Māori language lecturer at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. 

Through her engaging and culturally grounded teaching, Amelia empowers participants to connect with Māori traditions through haka, waiata-ā-ringa, poi, tī rākau, language, and storytelling. Her workshops foster respect, cultural understanding, and meaningful connections while honoring the living traditions of Māori communities.

Click this link to view her 2024 TEDx Talk on Pepeha (the traditional Māori way to introduce one's self).

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This workshop series is brought to you by Ka Hula O Manuarii (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization). Workshop registration fees support the guest instructor's services and will go directly our guest instructor, with only payment processing fees retained by KHOM. Workshop registration fees are payments for services and are not charitable donations or tax-deductible contributions.