Te reo M¯aori play ‘more than language’
The dual themes of loss and love are explored in a fully immersive te reo Ma¯ ori play coming to Wellington.
Hone Hurihanganui first wrote Hine Kiha¯ wai in 2003 after his father died. Originally, it was called A¯ whina.
‘‘I had friends and family members who would say their loved ones would visit them spiritually and that never happened for me,’’ he said. ‘‘This was a way for my dad to visit me.’’
Last year, Hurihanganui’s mother died so A¯ whina was brought back and renamed Hine Kiha¯ wai in her honour. A new cast has been brought onboard to perform the play around the country.
‘‘It certainly reflects the idea of being connected to people who you love and have passed away,’’ Hurihanganui said.
‘‘In renaming, it had been refocused on the characters and how they have that experience.’’
Hurihanganui has been writing waiata and haka for nearly 30 years but A¯ whina was his first foray into playwriting.
The play is performed completely in te reo Ma¯ ori but depicts a universal experience – adults watching the play could reflect on loved ones who had died and children would get an insight into spirituality.
Hurihanganui had seen the play performed for both Ma¯ ori and non-Ma¯ ori-speaking audiences.
‘‘There’s a lot more that happens in a play than just the language,’’ he said. ‘‘I like to think that anybody watching it can see people they know or people they are or experiences they have had.’’
Production company Taki Rua is bringing the show to Wellington and then the wider region later this year. The first performance will be in Porirua tomorrow before the play returns for a season in O¯ taki and Wellington in September.
Hurihanganui said he had a deep appreciation for the new cast and crew members who had taken up Hine Kiha¯ wai. ‘‘This cast here are a young, fresh cast and I’m delighted that they grabbed the work.’’
Hine Kiha¯ wai will be playing for free at
Pa¯ taka Art + Museum, in Porirua, tomorrow at 10.30am and 12.30pm. Koha entry.