Ka mihi ki ngā uri o te rohe nei, rātou e noho ana ki runga i te whenua o Te Ūpoko o Te Ika!
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangarangatanga maha o ngā hau e whā!
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
Kia Mau Festival stands upon whenua known as Te Ūpoko o Te Ika a Maui – the head of the fish of Maui. The region of Wellington is known for the strength of Tāwhirimātea, the God of the Winds. This land is the home of Kia Mau Festival.
In 2021 Kia Mau’s arms embrace from as far north as Ōtaki, to the southern tip of Taputeranga. Weaving two performance programmes – live and digital – both platforms share the voices of Māori, Pasifika and global Indigenous artists.
This month, we are sharing the first glimpse of our 2021 programme. Three shows to be presented in Wellington City – as Kia Mau Festival returns to Te Whanganui-a-Tara, including the World Premiere of All I See by award-winning artist Cian Parker who returns to our festival whānau.
The homecoming of Wellington artist Ahi Karunaharan with the landmark work The Mourning After featuring a spellbinding solo performance accompanied by a live trio of South Asian musicians.
Kia Mau Festival proudly partners with UPU Collective to present the Wellington Premiere of UPU weaving poetry and performance curated by Grace Iwashita-Taylor and directed by Fasitua Amosa.
From 04 -19 June 2021, theatre & dance from Te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa will be presented in Wellington – and throughout the globe.
“vital and exciting… perhaps the country’s best annual celebration of theatre”
THE PANTOGRAPH PUNCH