Solo show Ngā Reta explores identity and Māoritanga

Te Huamanuka Luiten-Apirana will perform her solo show Ngā Reta at Gisborne's Evolution Theatre on Friday, September 20 as part of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori.

Artist Te Huamanuka Luiten-Apirana brings her solo reo-Māori show Ngā Reta to Gisborne’s Evolution Theatre this month as part of a North Island tour celebrating Mahuru Māori.

The show is about urban-Māori Mia who rejects her Māoritanga. To her, being Māori is too deep and heavy.

When a box of letters arrive from Nan about her mum’s journey through womanhood, Mia’s world is turned upside down. Will she return home? Who is her real dad? Can she fix the relationship with her Mum?

Ngā Reta is a reo-Māori solo show about Māoritanga, independence and identity – the balance of te ao Māori and te ao hurihuri.

Based on a true story, Ngā Reta was originally written for a final assignment at Te Wānanga Takiura – a year long reo-Māori immersion course. Ngā Reta then premiered at Te Pou Theatre in 2023. Although the whole play is in te reo Māori, audiences praised how understandable the show was.

The creative behind it all, Te Huamanuka Luiten-Apirana, is an award-winning playwright also known for her acting work on TV show Head High and theatre show Kōpū.

After reading through her mum’s old letters, she took the best parts, ramped up the drama and Ngā Reta was created.

Seeing Luiten-Apirana in action was a highlight for many during her premiere season.

“I loved it, it’s amazing to see Manuka’s journey since she’s done full immersion te reo Māori this year. She can sing, she can dance, she’s funny, she’s absolutely incredible, don’t miss it.” - Audience member, opening night, Nov 2023.

Luiten-Apirana is self-funding her tour around the motu in hopes it will be accessible to as many audiences and communities as possible.

“I missed out on funding and was faced with the decision to pull the plug on the tour, but I thought, how stink to have a show ready to go for Te Wiki o Te Reo and not be able to share it. So, why not?,” she says.

“I’ve redesigned the show to fit in a wharenui and not need a big lighting rig. Our rural whānau hardly get to see whakaari, let alone whakaari Māori. I want to spread it as far and wide as I can.”

So why not celebrate Mahuru Māori (a reo challenge during the fourth lunar month, Mahuru, which is equivalent to September) by watching one wahine play her mum, her dad, her parallel universe self, several shoe shop characters and Kim Kardashian, who sings a ballad about how awesome Māoritanga is in your local wharenui.

Ngā Reta has a run time of 60 minutes. Koha entry. 6.30pm next Friday at Evolution Theatre, Disraeli St.