Something

Awkward

A public lecture series toward Matike Mai, hosted by the Pākehā collective of The Tīpuna Project*

In these times of fascism and ongoing genocide - with their intensified sense of urgency, scarcity and fear - both university and activist spaces are increasingly inhospitable to anticolonial forms of knowing - whether embodied, inspirited or more-than-human. 

With this public lecture series we experiment with something other-wise, something awkward. 

Beginning at Matariki, we will gather for six months around the new moon to respond to a call by Nigerian post-activist Bayo Akomolafe that these times require us to move not simply forward or backward.

Join us, our ancestors and the darkness as we co-host local speakers and other performers to instead help us collectively listen for/to/with THE AWKWARD:: …ancestors… grief… spirit… wonder… love… land(back)…

How does settler colonialism dismiss, distort, deport, detain, denigrate these otherworldly wisdoms, and what might their awkward stance and dance suggest for our decolonial movements in Aotearoa and beyond?

Wed 25th June, 6-8pm - ANCESTORS:: dismissed

Tues 22nd July, 6-8pm - GRIEF:: distorted

Tues 26th Aug, 6-8pm - SPIRIT:: deported

Tues 23rd Sept, 6-8pm - WONDER:: detained

Tues 21st Oct, 6-8pm - LOVE:: denigrated

Tues 18th Nov, 6-8pm - LAND(BACK):: dreamed

@ AUDIO FOUNDATION - Sub-Basement of the Parisian Tie Factory - 4 Poynton Terrace (Off Pitt St or behind St Kevins Arcade) - Tāmaki Makaurau**

**THE LIFT AT AUDIO FOUNDATION HAS BROKEN BUT WE WILL HAVE FOLX AT THE DOOR IF ANYONE WANTS HELP GETTING DOWN THE STAIRS, OR EMAIL US TO MAKE A PLAN IN ADVANCE <3**

*This series is inspired by global ‘anti-university’ and ‘free university’ movements that seek to create public spaces for the radical potential of academia to be realised. 

*Matike Mai is a nationwide Indigenous-led movement for a Te Tiriti-based constitution.

*The Tīpuna Project is a creative community-based collaboration between Māori and Pākehā activists, artists and academics to experiment with the decolonial possibilities of communing with ancestors.

  • I. ANCESTORS:: dismissed

    6-8pm, Wednesday 25th June w. Dr Rachel Jane Liebert (Ngāti Pākehā - Irish Gaelic, Ulster Scot, English, German)

  • II. GRIEF:: distorted

    6-8pm, Tuesday 22nd July

  • III. SPIRIT:: deported

    6-8pm, Tuesday 26th August

  • IV. WONDER:: detained

    6-8pm, Tuesday 23rd September

  • V. LOVE:: denigrated

    6-8pm, Tuesday 21st October

  • VI. LAND(BACK):: dreamed

    6-8pm, Tuesday 18th November