Witi’s Wāhine by Nancy Brunning

The extraordinary and much-loved wāhine from Witi Ihimaera’s groundbreaking books including The Parihaka Woman, The Matriarch and Pounamu Pounamu are brought to life by a powerful cast in this theatrical masterpiece tenderly crafted by the late Nancy Brunning.

Ultimately this is her love story: a compilation of stories and a tribute to the wāhine of Te Tairāwhiti (the East Coast) with powerful commentary, unflinching reality, sensitivity and warm affection that places wāhine, whenua and Māori wisdom centre stage.

Witi’s wāhine are distinct from one another, where time, situation and context overlap into a single thread: a cord that draws sustenance from the whenua, from onamata – the past. These women are recognisable as the aunties, sisters, mothers and nannies from your own whānau and communities. They invite you to traverse history, sharing memories, tears, jokes and beautiful waiata along the way.

Following adored seasons in its original iteration, this new production was conceived to bring Nancy Brunning’s final work to the big stage.

Described by Denizen as the “event of the season” for its Auckland run, prepare to be moved by this “phenomenal” (Broadway World) production.

This production was a collaboration between Hapai Productions and Auckland Theatre Company.

Ko ngā pukapuka rongonui ēnā a Witi Ihimaera e whakamataoratia ana ki te atamira o toi whakaari. Ko The Parihaka Woman, ko The Matriarch me Pounamu Pounamu ēnā ka whakaaritia e tētehi hunga whakaari, ko te whakaari tonu he mea āta waihanga e Nancy Brunning, kia au te moe ki a ia.

He kohinga pūrākau hei mihi ki te wahine nei o Te Tairāwhiti. He mana nui ō roto, he tūturutanga ō roto, he wairua mahaki marire anō hoki. Ko te aronga matua o ngā kōrero, ko te wahine, ko te whenua, ko te mātauranga Māori.