28 February 2026
The Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts is filled with many family connections among performers. When Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland playwright and director Hone Kouka needed a sound composer for the restaging of the play, he looked to his daughter Maarire Brunning-Kouka (pictured). As one of Aotearoa’s most exciting new artists, Maarire (MĀ) also features in the Festival programme in her own show.
We caught up with the very busy father-daughter pair in the midst of their rehearsals and performances.
I ask Hone and Maarire when they first worked together, and Maarire jokes “straight out of the womb. I remember being asked to do some promotional filming for ‘The Beautiful Ones’ quite a few years ago. I think I was a teenager?”
Hone: “The first time we worked together as artists was in 2023 on the dance theatre farce I created called Ngā Rorirori. Maarire and Reon Bell created all the music tracks for the show. I ended up building much of the show around their music.”
Catching up with Hone during Waiora’s final rehearsal week, he mentioned that there were some cast and crew in the Waiora production who didn’t realise they were father and daughter until recently. How do you maintain your personal/professional relationship?
Maarire: “Mahi is Mahi you know, especially for a story like this - ko te tūmanako e rere pai ana ngā mahi Kia ora pai ana ngā kupu.”
Hone: “Maarire I can proudly say is such a professional, so it is easy to keep the personal and professional separate when we work. Away from mahi is very different.”
Hone adds that Maarire is an inspiration to him and he is filled with pride in her.
“The breadth of her creativity astounds me sometimes. I can’t wait to hear her new tracks from her new album knowing she will be playing some of them at Tāwhiri Warehouse show. An artist who is curious and forever searching. I love that. “
Maarire’s late mother Nancy Brunning played the pivotal role of Rongo in the first staging of Waiora. I ask how that has felt for them both.
Maarire: “In my eyes her presence is there as a kaitiaki of some sort. I’ve enjoyed watching Tioreore [Ngatai Melbourne] embody Rongo’s character in her own way. It’s a privilege to watch the process.”
Hone: “Nancy's photograph has been a part of our rehearsal room since day one, so she has been watching over us. However, Tioreore has created her Rongo and I think Nancy would love that.”
Finally, I ask what they each are looking forward to in the 2026 Festival.
Maarire: Wellington being filled with so much beautiful art.
Hone: Music Portrait of a Humble Disabled Samoan and of course I am biased, but MĀ.
Waiora Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland is at the Opera House from 27 February – 1 March, and MĀ is performing at Tāwhiri Warehouse on Saturday 28 February, 10pm.
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