Keynote speaker: Hone Kouka
Plenary with Hone Kouka, Lucy Burns, and Harry Wong III; moderated by Haili'ōpua Baker.
This keynote and plenary will also be interpreted in American Sign Language.
About Hone Kouka
Hone Kouka (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu) MNZM is an acclaimed Māori writer, producer and director, the youngest winner of the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award and multi award winner. He has had plays produced in South Africa, Britain, Hawaii, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Caledonia, as well as throughout New Zealand, with three plays being translated into French, Japanese and Russian. Hone’s plays include Ngā Tangata Toa, Waiora: Te Ūkaipō, The Prophet and Bless The Child.
In 2004, Hone co-founded the production company, Tawata Productions, focusing on the development and presentation of new theatre and film by Māori and Pasifika artists. Hone became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Contemporary Māori Theatre in June 2009.
Created in 2015, Hone is the Artistic Director/Chief Executive and founder of Kia Mau Festival, a Māori, Pasifika and Global Indigenous contemporary performance platform based in Te Ūpoko o te Ika a Māui.
Hone’s work also extends to the film industry, most recently with two feature films screening at the Berlin Film Festival, Born to Dance (Screenwriter) and Mahana (Executive Producer). Hone’s earlier work across short films includes as Executive Producer for a series of successful short films that screened at Cannes, Sundance & Berlin film festivals.
In 2022 Hone was an Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate Award winner.