Shakespeare in Te Reo - famous sonnet translated

Rawiri Paratene reads Oriri 18 at Shakespeare's Globe in London. Screengrab / Supplied

A beautifully scribed Maori translation of Shakespeare's famous Sonnet 18 was officially unveiled and blessed at Shakespeare's Globe in London last week.

The gift comes from the Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand, and is part of its Compleate Workes 2009, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare's Sonnets.

The sonnet (Oriri 18) was unveiled by the Deputy High Commissioner for New Zealand, Belinda Brown, and read aloud in Te Reo by Kiwi actor Rawiri Paratene (currently appearing at the Globe in Romeo and Juliet and Helen).

The project began in 2008 when Dawn Sanders, the CEO of Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand visited the Globe in London. There she encountered a Korean translation of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 (Shall I compare thee to a summer's day…) framed and hanging in the Globe Exhibition. It was then that Mrs Sanders had the idea of creating a Maori translation.

Peter Kyle, Chief Executive of Shakespeare's Globe in London, said that "Shakespeare's Globe is delighted to receive this taonga as a token of our close relations with our colleagues and friends in New Zealand."

Visitors to Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition can see the Maori Sonnet displayed in the UnderGlobe.

- NZ HERALD STAFF