THE SWING
The Swing weaves the ancestral pūrākau of Tānemahuta - atua of light and Hinetītama - daughter of dawn, into a contemporary portrayal of whānau struggling to recover from the shadow of ngau whiore (sexual abuse) and whakamomori (suicide).
This work is the creative outcome of a community kaupapa Māori research project hosted by Kōkiri Marae and Massey University that started in 2018. Since then it has been developed into a theatre play with a quality filmed version created in 2023.
Audiences have said The Swing is “engaging at every level,” “life-changing,” and “filled with wairua, power, grace, healing and truth.”
Video of The Swing
Writer Helen Pearse-Otene (PhD) is a registered and practising psychologist, and director Jim Moriarty MNZM is a registered psychiatric nurse.A community tour of marae, community halls, and regional venues is planned for Ocotber and November 2027.Get in touch via email for more information The Swing is part of Te Rākau's Kaupapa Oranga Hapori - a focus area of community wellbeing. The theraputic beginning of The Swing is outlined on the link below.
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Kōrero
JIM MORIARTY,
KAITOHU (DIRECTOR)
Our theatre’s intent has always been to bring these korero into the world of light because when we keep them locked up in a cupboard or push them under a carpet, that’s when they can continue to fester or have a negative impact on our people.
LYNDA CHANWAI-EARLE,
REVIEW - THEATREVIEW
The Swing is a powerful and profound call for meaningful action; haunting and healing.
FIONA MCNAMARA,
REVIEW (2023)
A carefully considered and expertly crafted experience that has real potential to be an instigator of change.
MARAMA DAVIDSON,
CHAIR OF MINSTERIAL GROUP (2022)
This raw theatre performance tells the story of the intergenerational trauma of sexual abuse, and the hurt and shame that unravels people’s lives, families and whole communities. It was beautiful, painful and necessary storytelling.