PO BOX 11223
Manners St, Wellington, New Zealand 6142
office@kiamaufestival.org
Three Strand Braid
By Grace O’Brien
As part of our Free Access programme, Kia Mau Festival presents the Three Strand Braid a live performance that intertwines the lands creator Grace O’Brien comes from and the land she stands on, all separated and joined by water.
In this contemplative performance work, Grace O’Brien weaves together identity, ancestry, and migration through ritual and embodiment. Three Strand Braid is an act of connection — a quiet offering to the lands that have shaped her, and the waters that both divide and unite them.
Seated in salt water, O’Brien braids her hair, each strand carrying memory, longing, and lineage. This intimate gesture becomes a bridge across oceans — a way to entangle the fragmented parts of self, and hold fast to the threads that link her to her ancestors, no matter the distance.
A performance of stillness and strength, Three Strand Braid honours the body as vessel, the braid as archive, and the sea as witness.
Dates
14 June 2025
2pm + 6pm
Venue
Tapere Iti
Te Auaha
65 Dixon Street
Te Aro
Wellington 6011
teauahaevents.com
Tickets
Free Access
Creative Credits
Designer / Director / Performer Grace O’Brien
Performer Amisha O’Brien
Sound Mixer / Set Operator Ete Reupena
Set Operator Cassidy Kemp-Woffenden
Learn More About Grace O’Brien
Grace O’Brien is a recent design graduate from Toi Whakaari (2024) and an aspiring theatre, film and visual artist, born in Tamaki Makaurau. She works in a variety of mediums and platforms including event design, set, lighting and costume design for theatre, as well as art department and directing for film. Her work is often informed by her indian/irish descent, exploring themes of femininity, cultural identity and whenua in filmic, theatrical, visual and performance art spaces.
Learn More About Kia Mau Festival
Tihei mauri ora!
Ka mihi ki ngā uri o te whenua o Te Upoko o te ika a Māui.
E ngā haukāinga o te rohe nei, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Taranaki Whānui,
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa!
Kia Mau Festival is at the forefront of contemporary Tāngata Whenua, Tāngata Moana, and Indigenous theatre and dance in Aotearoa and beyond. We are innovators—pushing boundaries, redefining forms, and forging new paths with creative risk-taking at every step. Right here, right now, we bring together local, national, and international artists in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. We find the intersection where our stories intertwine, creating an experience that is uniquely ‘local’ yet unparalleled in Pōneke throughout the year.
Kia Mau offers a truly unique experience, led by Tāngata Whenua, Tāngata Moana, and Indigenous voices at every level—from our leadership to our artists and audiences. Unlike any other festival, we are not just a platform for presentations; we are a hub for kōrero and whanaungatanga.
Our festival serves as a whare where Tāngata Whenua, Tāngata Moana, and Indigenous artists and their communities are supported throughout the creation, development, and staging of their works. By providing a nurturing environment, we empower individual artists, strengthen their capabilities, and enrich the arts sector, celebrating the diversity and talent of Tāngata Whenua, Tāngata Moana, and Indigenous artists.
With our deep understanding of the arts sector and strong relationships with artists from emerging talents to established figures, we identify those at pivotal moments in their careers or with significant projects. By including them in the Kia Mau Festival programme, we support them in taking strategic steps forward. This approach has allowed Kia Mau Festival to make a substantial impact on numerous artists and, consequently, shape the contemporary arts landscape.
Returning to Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui, Aotearoa New Zealand from 30 May – 14 June 2025. Nau mai, haramai! Nau mai, hoki mai ki te hui ahurei o Kia Mau!
