Body Sovereignty and Te Matatini

This commentary explores the ways in which body sovereignty has been illustrated and supported in the sovereign space of Te Matatini (Ki Te Ao). It is suggested that the 2019 Te Matatini Ki Te Ao Kapa Haka Finals were a space that privileged Te Ao Māori and body sovereignty in multiple, intersecting ways. I propose that sovereign spaces such as Te Matatini provide an alternative illustration, discourse and narrative to current coloniality that restricts, limits and does not acknowledge body sovereignty. Te Matatini centres Māori bodies and Māori sovereignty through kapa haka and creates a space for multiple levels of body sovereignty, for multiple genders, different able-bodiedness and different sized bodies. Te Matatini Ki Te Ao centres tāngata Māori and creates a sovereign space for Māori bodies to exist and be valued.