Award-winning play inspired by whānau adoption takes to the stage in Tamaki Makaurau

Actors Joe-Dekkers Reihana and Tuakoi Ohia in The Sun and the Wind.

The Sun and the Wind, written by current Bruce Mason Playwriting Award winner Tainui Tukiwaho, is about a couple who are caught off-guard by two burglars and who the couple mistake for their deceased son and his wife. It tackles themes of grief, hope, love, and loss.

Produced by Tainui’s brother, Borni Tukiwaho of Taurima Vibes, the story was inspired by the whāngai, Māori adoption, of their mother when she was a baby. She reconnected with her biological whānau in her adult years and saw how her adoption impacted her birth father.

“The Sun and the Wind is a story from a Māori-specific lens, exploring how the depths of despair, and loss of one’s child can shape how we navigate our world and the long-lasting impact grief has on the wellbeing of our people,” Tainui says.

The play was a finalist at the prestigious Adams Playwriting Award in 2022 and has been performed in Wellington. The production will tour regionally after its Auckland performances. The Sun and the Wind stars Taungaroa Emile, Joe Dekkers-Reihana, Tuakoi Ohia and Julie Edwards, who won the Best Actress prize at last year’s Wellington Theatre Awards for her role. It’s directed by Edward Peni.

Julie Edwards in her award-winning role in The Sun and the Wind.

Tainui promises that the production will engage audiences of all ages with its dynamic storytelling, compelling characters and visually stunning and award-winning performances.

“Our team has meticulously crafted a production that merges traditional Māori storytelling techniques with cutting-edge stagecraft, promising an immersive and unforgettable experience,” he says.

Show producer Borni says he founded the theatre company Taurima Vibes to give a voice to marginalised and undervalued communities and to bridge the gap between the privileged and under-resourced.

“This play has been crafted to generate insightful korero, provoke and challenge the colonised ideals that we are constantly told are the ‘best’ ways to deal with our grief and mental health needs and asks the question: How do we reclaim our own means of healing?”

The Sun and the Wind will be showing at Auckland’s Q Theatre from March 20-24