KAUPAPA | ABOUT

Join Billy Reynolds McCarthy for a return season of I WAS BORN TO SPEAK. Billy blends spoken word poetry, theatre, and kapa haka to shine a light on the silencing of te reo Māori in Aotearoa.

By adorning the different taonga that have been passed down by his loved ones, Billy takes on the many personas of his whānau to tell different sides of the same story. Declarations to make up for every word not spoken.

For the first time I WAS BORN TO SPEAK will be performed partially in te reo Māori, a reo rua special to whakanui and celebrate Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori. Celebrate our reo rangatira at Kōanga Festival and join us for this powerful, solo show from up and coming kaiwhakaari Billy Reynolds McCarthy.

NGĀ TĀNGATA | CREATIVES

Kaiwhakaari | Performer — Billy Reynolds McCarthy
Kaitohu | Director — Connor Magatogia