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Story: Māori theatre – te whare tapere hōu

Māori Theatre Trust, 1967

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Māori Theatre Trust, 1967

The Maori Theatre Trust was formed by Māori actors who appeared in the New Zealand Opera Company's 1965 production of Porgy and Bess.The upper photo shows a rehearsal, including Īnia Te Wīata (kneeling at right) as Porgy, and Toni Williams (at rear, wearing boater) as Sportin' Life. Below is a scene from the Trust's first production, He mana toa by James Ritchie (1967). Performers include Karen Jurgenson (foreground) and Don Solomon (held aloft).

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 35mm-41021-45 (top); EP/1967-0863-F (bottom)

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Mark Derby and Briar Grace-Smith, Māori theatre – te whare tapere hōu – Origins of Māori theatre, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/43327/maori-theatre-trust-1967 (accessed 26 June 2026).

Story by Mark Derby and Briar Grace-Smith, published 14 November 2013.