Shows you should know at Kia Mau

Kai Mau is the only arts festival in the country entirely devoted to celebrating contemporary Indigenous voices. Tangata Moana, Tangata Whenua, and other Indigenous creatives lead, organise, and perform at the two-week-long festival. 

Hone thinks modern society is prone to extremes of behaviour and views. He believes art can provide a calming influence, grounding people. He has used this as a guiding principle when programming Kia Mau. “The creative whānau in the festival offers a unique perspective with clarity and understanding.” says Hone. He’s picked six shows — three from up-and-coming groups and three from established practitioners — that he says ground him. “What excites me most are the new voices, the visionaries, and makers.”  

Love Letters   

It’s a bold and beautiful night of cabaret-style performance. This interdisciplinary showcase celebrates words not just read, but danced, sung, and lived. Four young artists present an evening of poetry-inspired performance.  Fun, fearless, and accessible, it promises a night to remember. 

4 to 7 June at Te Whaea National Dance & Drama Centre | Book now

Braiding the Land 

Vancouver-based Raven Spirit Dance company traces the connections between ancestral landscapes and the body. Its work is grounded, expressive, and always in honour of the land. The company’s premiere season in Aotearoa includes a collection of performances from the past 20 years of repertoire.   

4 to 7 June at Te Auaha | Book now

WTF — What the Fa’afafine?!   

What does it mean to be a fa’afafine versus identifying as a trans woman? Through humour, honesty, and heartbreak, WTF is a theatrical celebration and confrontation. It explores the different cultural and social vā (relationship between people and concepts) of identity. This is a deeply personal story from an ensemble of fa’afafine and queer Pacific voices. 

11 to 13 June at Te Auaha | Book now

The Circle   

Street dance and contemporary dance highlight the innate excellence of Pacific peoples. Shifting Centre is a collective of artists based in Pōneke. ‘The Circle’ is a work that explores themes of support, celebration, and liberation. Set in a fantastical world, it follows a community of characters in search of utopia. As their journey unfolds, the characters are forced to confront the nuances of what support means for different people.   

8 to 10 June at Bats Theatre | Book now

Puana 

Come and celebrate the musical heritage and legacy of Hawai’i. Music is a powerful way to communicate. In this mo‘olelo (story), a grandfather reveals previously unknown parts of his journey to his grandchild. Puana reminds us that poetic compositions from the past serve as guideposts for contemporary artistic journeys today. 

11 to 14 June at Te Whaea National Dance & Drama Centre | Book now

A Nightime Travesty 

Strap in for a ferocious adventure that pushes form, genre and the realms of reality.  Who will survive the wild ride on the last plane hurtling out of Earth? From Australia, this is an epic First Nations vaudevillian musical nightmare. It’s sardonic, cheeky, and heartbreaking. A non-stop riot of music, parody and political punch.   

12 to 14 June at Hannah Playhouse | Book now