The Dream of Decolonised Music in a Colonial Reality

Interweaving the practices of Tangata Whenua (Indigenous Māori) and Tangata Tiriti (non-Māori) offers a powerful way to explore musical creation and relationships that honour te Tiriti o Waitangi. Yet aspirations for cross-cultural collaboration and decolonisation often encounter the cultural hegemonies embedded within classical-music spaces.

This presentation reflects on the co-authorship of Kūī Kūī, a work for choir and classical orchestra created by Oliver Bramah and Hēmi Kelly, drawing on te ao Māori (Māori worldview) and te taiao (nature). Intended to intertwine Māori and European classical aesthetics, the work was ultimately cancelled after its director and soloists expressed that they did not understand its intentions and construction.

Drawing on Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s Decolonising Methodologies, the presenters critically examine the gap between the aspiration to decolonise musical practice and the structures that continue to shape classical-music spaces. By focusing on a collaboration that was never performed, the presentation challenges survivorship bias and considers what failed collaborations can reveal about creating more equitable cross-cultural artistic practices.