Tama Tà «ranga Huata (15 April 1950 â 11 February 2015) was a MÃÂori performing arts leader in New Zealand.
Born in 1950 of NgÃÂti Kahungunu and NgÃÂti Porou descent, Huata was the third son of Wiremu Te Tau HuataâÂÂa chaplain to the MÃÂori Battalion during World War IIâÂÂand Ringahora HÃÂni NgÃÂkai Ybel Tomoana. His maternal grandfather was Paraire Tomoana, the composer of "Pokarekare Ana".
Huata was a central figure in the renaissance of the MÃÂori performing arts. In 1983 he founded the Kahurangi Dance Theatre and Te WÃÂnanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu (the Takitimu Performing Arts School), and was responsible for the establishment there of the first degree programme in MÃÂori performing arts. In 1985 he was a group leader at the Te Maori exhibition in San Francisco. Awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 1995, Huata travelled to the University of WisconsinâÂÂMilwaukee to study African history and dance.
Huata was the inaugural chair of Te Matatini Society, and founder of the Waiata MÃÂori Music Awards in 2007.
In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours, Huata was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to MÃÂori performing arts. In 2012, he received Te Tohu Toi KÃÂ (the "Making a Difference" award) from Creative New Zealand at Te Waka Toi Awards, for his significant contribution to the development and retention of MÃÂori arts and culture.
Huata died at his home in Napier in 2015.