An extraordinary mapping of Aotearoa through the eyes of Te Tiriti o Waitangi Mahana. Her story, our history.

Creator of the acclaimed The Haka Party Incident, Katie Wolfe (Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama) directs this new adaptation of the epic tale of Tiri Mahana, a 185-year-old matriarch, from her birth at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi to present-day Aotearoa.

With award-winning Miriama McDowell (Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi) and supported by Nī Dekkers-Reihana (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Porou), audiences are invited to explore themes of memory, family and resilience.

For the first time, the play will be performed in both English and te reo Māori, with both versions capturing the enduring spirit of Te Ao Māori. Woven into a deeply emotional tapestry, Witi Ihimaera’s (Te Whānau a Kai and Ngāti Porou) extraordinary play will shine once again in this unprecedented and astonishing new production: a national treasure that continues to resonate across time and place.

He whakakitenga autaia o Aotearoa i te tirohanga o Te Tiriti o Waitangi Mahana. Tana kōrero, tō tātou hītori.

Ka tohua e te kaitito o te whakaari taiea o The Haka Party Incident, e Katie Wolfe (Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama) tēnei whakahounga o te pūrākau whakahirahira o Tiri Mahana, he ruahine 185 te pakeke, mai i tana whānautanga mai i te hainatanga o Te Tiriti o Waitangi ki te Aotearoa o mohoa nei.

Ko te toa whakaihuwaka a Miriama McDowell (Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi) rāua ko Nī Dekkers-Reihana (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Porou). Rarau mai e te marea kia tūhura e tātou ngā tāuhu o mahara, o whānau, o manawaroa.

Hei tuatahitanga, ka whakaarihia te whakaari nei ki te reo Māori me te reo Pākehā, me te mau tonu ki te wairua matatū o Te Ao Māori. Kua whatua ki te takapau o aroha, ka piata anō mai tēnei whakaari whakahirahira a Witi Ihimaera i tēnei whakaaturanga mīharo tuatahi, he tāonga puiaki o te motu e pāoro tonu nei ā haere ake nei.

“The tide of time recedes when the moon wanes, sucking at the surf, but my memory is still with those who have gone.”

Witi Ihimaera

Playwright/Kaituhi

Katie Wolfe

Director/Ringatohu

Maioha Allen

Re-imagined in te reo Māori with company

John Verryt

Set Design/ Kaihoahoa Ātaamira

Te Ura Hoskins

Costume Design /Kaihoahoa Pueru

Nī Dekkers-Reihana

Actor/Kaiwhakaari

Miriama McDowell

Actor/Kaiwhakaari

NZSL-Interpreted	by Platform Interpreting NZ Fri 21 Nov 7:00pm
Audio-Described & Touch Tour	by Audio Described Aotearoa Sun 16 Nov 4:00pm
Relaxed Performance	Tue 18 Nov 7:00pm This relaxed performance is a comfortable and inclusive experience which may be especially welcomed by autistic and neurodivergent audience members.

By arrangement with

“Comedy and tragedy alternating in a fantastic aria.”

— The New Zealand Herald

Event and Ticketing Details

Duration
Woman Far Walking – 50 minutes
Interval – 20 minutes
Tiri: Te Araroa – 50 minutes

Advisory

Includes descriptions of violence.

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Creative Learning

MARY: The Birth of Frankenstein is suitable for year level 13. Supporting resources are available for ākonga.

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If you’ve never been to the theatre before, we have one night to give it a go risk-free. It’s first in, best seats, with the performance ticketed as General Admission. Tickets on sale at least 3 weeks before the performance.