KŌANGA Festival 2020 – Digital Edition

As Tāmaki Makaurau faces another COVID-19 surge, Te Pou Theatre have responded with a reframing of their annual Kōanga Festival. While they had planned to be able to bring the community together kanohi ki te kanohi – in person – the reimagined free digital version brings new Māori storytelling directly into whare around Aotearoa and indeed the world from September 2 – 27.

Concerned for the health and wellbeing of the whānau directly impacted and the country as a whole, Te Pou have made the decision to move their full programme of new work online to help keep people safe and ensure accessibility for all. Extending over the month of September, starting on Ōturu with the rising full moon, Māori storytelling and storytellers will be celebrated by a new presentation of the same components planned for the in-theatre programme. These theatrical offerings will be pre-recorded and premiere on YouTube on Fridays during the festival window, before being available through Te Pou’s social media channels, all entirely free of charge.

Whytangi??, the landmark event of Kōanga 2020 which is a collection of short works originally conceived for the stage, will now be presented separately in short digital theatre experiences. With different opportunities for audiences to engage with theatre at a distance, the new format also allows each playwright to showcase their short work individually, sharing their unique response to ongoing controversy over Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the impact to te reo Māori as a result of the signing. The works are:

• The Chosen Ones by Albert Belz It is 4000 years from now and only Māori survive, but why and how? Belz takes ridiculous theories of the past waaaaay into the future to reflect on today.
• Willie’s Wānanga on Wheels by Amber Curreen & Tainui Tukiwaho Welcome to a te reo Māori tipi haere on the Northern Express, Tāmaki Makaurau to Te Reinga with ol Willie.
• Little Brown Lies by Annette Morehu In Morehu’s fun new short work, Aroha enlists her reo speaking bestie KC to help her snag Mr. Tika online with unintended consequences.
• Found in Translation by Tainui Tukiwaho “Well? A lake and a beautiful one at that” In the style of David Ives, Tukiwaho brings together Puhi and Pioneer i ngā wā o mua; The pitfalls of translation cannot this love thwart.
• ID10M by Antonio Te Maioha In a play that does nothing for dispelling the myth that the word ‘Pākehā’ means ‘White Pig’, Te Maioha shoves another lens in our face through which we can literally re-view both the idiom accompanying the Treaties and the story of The Three Little Pigs.

The Kōanga playwrights programme will now be available as six podcasts hosted on the Te Pou website, allowing people to experience brand new in-development work from home, no matter where they are. With all elements of the programme being scheduled for release on Fridays, Sundays during the Festival will bring together the writers in a series of live online hui, allowing audiences to hear directly from the writers. These hui will also allow the opportunity to share thoughts and ask any questions about the work, and as such Māori reviewers are encouraged to get in touch to be part of these korero.

Despite the need for change being forced by circumstances beyond their control, Te Pou are delighted that their digital programme will now encompass the dates of Mahuru Māori and Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. Welcoming all members of the public to join in for the showcasing and discussion of these incredible Māori voices, regardless of what stage of the journey they are on with te reo Māori, the Te Pou whānau welcome all to come together digitally and develop their reo Māori this Kōanga. This further extends the core kaupapa of Kōanga as the traditional time of coming together to plant the next harvest, sowing the seed for the future development and celebration of te reo Māori and empowering Māori voices, wherever they are.

For those who purchased tickets to the previous Kōanga 2020 events, the relevant ticketing agencies will be in touch regarding refunds. For those who are able, Te Pou would greatly appreciate donating the cost of the tickets to help support the whānau through uncharted waters.

KŌANGA FESTIVAL 2020: Digital Edition
September 2-27
http://tepoutheatre.nz/

Full schedule to be announced

Kōanga Festival is supported by Creative New Zealand, Foundation North & Auckland Council