Kia Mau Festival returns to Wellington

Media Release: For Immediate Release

BOLD THEATRE, FRESH DANCE, MANA MĀORI, MANA PASIFIKA – KIA MAU FESTIVAL RETURNS!

Tawata Productions presents
KIA MAU FESTIVAL
2 – 24 June

New Zealand’s only contemporary indigenous theatre and dance festival Kia Mau Festival returns to Wellington from Friday 2 – Saturday 24 June, in venues across the region from Porirua City to Wellington City to Upper Hutt City. In its third year, Kia Mau Festival is a heart-warming cultural celebration, led by Wellington’s own Māori and Pasifika theatre and dance companies. Kia Mau Festival is a unique and innovative opportunity for whānau and communities across the Wellington region to engage with today’s tangata whenua and First Nations artists, from across the globe.

Tawata Productions are proud to announce the first confirmed artists in the programme, with a further two line-up announcements to come.

The expansive programme will open with Tiki Taane Mahuta, by Wellington based Māori theatre producers Taki Rua at The Opera House on Friday 2 June. Choreographed by Tānemahuta Gray, Tiki Taane Mahuta combines theatre, aerial performance, contemporary dance, kapa haka, mau rakau and hip hop, and is one of New Zealand’s largest nationally-devised productions. Set to live music from iconic musicians; Tiki Taane and Shapeshifter’s Sambora, Tiki Taane Mahuta is a proud expression of Aotearoa identity.

Bringing together the works of three wahine toa from the Atamira Dance Company whanau Manaia is a powerful exploration of Maori femininity. Showing at Hannah Playhouse from June 13 – 17, the short works programme is tied by the theme of Manaia, named for the mythical creature possessing the head of a bird and body of a human, bridging human endeavour to spiritual aspiration. Pito by Nancy Wijohn explores themes around maternal connection, and attempts to uncover meanings of loss, abandonment and pain to find light, enlightenment and love. Te Waenganui by Gabrielle Thomas explores the three fingers of the manaia – birth, life, and death – and the space between, known as Te Waenganui. Kelly Nash presents Mā, a reframed and recontextualised look at the myth of demigod Maui and his efforts to gain eternal life by exploiting the goddess Hine Nui Te Po.

Canadian based Kaha:wi Dance Theatre’s primordial and transcendent production NeoIndigenA will come to BATS Theatre as part of the Festival from Tuesday 6 – Saturday 10 June. An elemental and ritual journey that fiercely cycles through sacred portals, the Dora Mavor Moore award nominated production was created, choreographed, and is performed by Onkwehonwe Artistic Director founder Santee Smith in the solo show. A momentous physical, emotional, mental challenge and spiritual journey, NeoIndigenA will ask the questions: where is land in my body; what language do my bones speak; what is flesh and blood, breath connection to earth and to soulful sky?

Tawata Productions, are proud present one of their own productions in the Festival programme Fire In The Water, Fire In The Sky. Created and directed by Mīria George, and performed by Te Hau Winitana and Mapihi Kelland, the story is a modern statement of climate change, colonisation, and Christianity across the Pacific rim, told through movement, dance, and text. Fire In The Water, Fire In The Sky will be performed at Pataka Gallery + Museum in Porirua from Tuesday 6 – Saturday 10 June, presenting a search for hope in the cautionary tale of greed and destruction, big business, and family.

Kia Mau Festival is a platform that enables Wellington-based arts companies to showcase their work, and network with visiting international festival and venue directors. The Festival is the brainchild of Wellington-based Tawata Productions, co-founded by Hone Kouka and Miria George, who produce theatrical and multi-media works by Māori and Pasifika writers.

KIA MAU FESTIVAL
Friday 2 – Saturday 24 June
Venues across Wellington
https://kiamaufestival.org/

1st Announce Shows:
Tiki Taane Mahuta
Friday 2 June
Choreographed by Tānemahuta Gray
Taki Rua Productions (Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand)
The Opera House, Wellington City

Manaia
Wednesday 14 – Saturday 17 June
Choreographed by Nancy Wijohn, Kelly Nash and Gabrielle Thomas
Atamira Dance Company (Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Hannah Playhouse, Wellington City

NeoIndigenA
Tuesday 6 – Saturday 10 June
Choreographed by Santee Smith
Kaha:wi Dance Theatre (Ontario, Canada)
BATS Theatre, Wellington City

Fire In The Water, Fire In The Sky
Tuesday 6 – Saturday 10 June
by Mīria George
Tawata Productions (Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand)
Pataka Gallery + Museum, Porirua

Two further line-up announcements to come.

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