Hemo is Home

Hemo is Home started as a lock-down exercise for the Tukiwaho whānau during 2021, and ended up being joint runner up for the Adam NZ Play Award in 2022. It is written by Te Rongoopai, Jade, Paku, Le Toya, Mia and their proud father Tainui Tukiwaho.

It tells the story of a nine year old boy, Hemo, who is being raised in his urupā by a mixed bag of spirits, in fact misfits of his iwi from across the ages. These spirits are those people who were misunderstood in their lives, but through their mission to keep Hemo alive, find their true power in death. Hemo is Home is a nail biting, and yet very funny play for the whole whānau with contemporary issues touched on, including accepting gay partners into urupā, suicide, mental health and the role of Pākehā advocates. 

One of the judges for Adam NZ Play Award summed this play up well when they said ‘besides it’s macabre setting, this play is fun, light hearted, and despite challenging family relationships, ultimately shines a whole lot of aroha for whānau’.

Hemo is Home is a perfect play for opening our new Whare Whakaari, offering an opportunity to work with a cast of ten performers playing ages from 9 to koroua, and having natural appeal to a wide audience base. Tamariki of 11+ will be able to enjoy a show which, through a 9 yr old lead character, makes it very accessible to them, and yet it offers them a rare opportunity to be introduced to adult themes relevant for so many families today. 

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