As co-writer and co-director of the epic Black Ties, co-created by ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and Te Rēhia Theatre on commission from a swag of Arts Festivals, Tainui Tukiwaho sought to bridge the gap between two very different first nation cultures with a love story. Its March 2020 NZ Festival season in Shed 6 sold out – just a couple of weeks before Lockdown.

Now, ever-ready to adapt to the circumstances, his Te Rēhia Theatre has collaborated with Circa Theatre to bring us Found in Translation: a mini playlet that sees bourgeoning love overcome language barriers.

The premise is that NZ’s leading international dating agency, COLOUR – We Don’t See It, facilitates online Zoom meet-ups, or zui, between people who may be each other’s perfect match if only they understood each other. As the proprietor, Tukiwaho introduces a prime example: the zui between Hinepūkohurangi Morehu (Tuakoi Ohia), who only speaks Te Reo Māori, and Adrian (Tyler Wilson Kōkiri) who only speaks English.  

The well-meaning translators are Kandii (Acushla-Tara Kupe), who translates Hine’s reo into English, and Jesus (Mataara Stokes) who translates Adrian’s English into Te Reo Māori. The results of their mahi will range from amusing to hilarious, at various levels, according to how much reo you know – in my case, not much.

For example, I laugh outright when the strictly purist Kandii translates Hine’s “Tena koe” very literally as “You are there” then ticks off a puzzled Adrian by explaining, “Ours is a very metaphorical language.” Fluent speakers may also see this as pointing to the importance of being there in person – kanohi ki te kanohi: face to face – when meeting and greeting.

When Adrian hopes he hasn’t ruined it yet with his clumsy attempts at being metaphorical too, Hine responds to Jesus’ translation with a cheery, “Kia ora,” which Kandii translates as, “To live.”  “There you are,” says a relieved Adrian, which Jesus translates as, “Tena koe” – provoking another laugh from me. But Hine is probably wondering why Adrian is remaining formal when she thought they had moved past that.  

Adrian breaks the awkward pause that follows with a space-filling, “Well …” which Jesus translates as “E puna,” causing Hine, who has a lovely lake behind her, to gently correct him: “He roto.” And so the zui proceeds …

Fortunately non-verbal communication is also eloquent and a mutual attraction develops despite some very questionable exchanges, not least the one provoked by what Adrian has “always wanted to ask a Māori: what does it taste like?”  Some interesting sign-language between Kandii and Jesus doesn’t seem to equate with Hine’s suggestion that Hine’s “bone weapon” is what quivers for Adrian.

Has there been editorial censorship? Sensing their true meanings are not getting through may be why the potential lovers don’t wait for translations as they exchange increasingly passionate endearments in their respective languages. Besides, Kandii and Jesus become blissfully lost for words as they are mesmerised by the magnetism occurring through cyberspace.

Tuakoi Ohia and Tyler Wilson Kōkiri are a delight to watch and they transcend the linguistic barriers. The non-verbal interactions between Acushla-Tara Kupe and Mataara Stokes also create a play in themselves, with Kupe especially drawing us into a clear understanding of her unspoken feelings at every beat od the action.

Tainui Tukiwaho has explained “there are three levels of comprehension we are aiming at here, in terms of the language”, he is “very interested in the different levels of understanding, and each engagement and understanding is totally fair.”

Nevertheless I did attempt to get one of our Te Reo Māori-speaking reviewers to cover Found in Translation but none were available. I do, however, have a brother-in-law – Steve LaHood – who knows much more than me, so I asked for his reaction and this is it:

John Smythe, despite knowing that Fridays are my ‘me’ days, gets all frantic about what he might be missing in the translation of the marvellous Reo Rangatira in this cool video and calls me, because he knows I’m at level 5 (Te Ronakitanga) at Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

I thoroughly recommend Found in Translation as a joyous learning experience. He aha te kupu mō ‘entertain’? It’s ‘whakangakau’. To ‘make heartfelt’. It is adorable, clunky fun – and you don’t need a word of Te Reo Māori to enjoy it.

Sure, there are lots of goofy plays with kiwaha (“Your tongue is like that of a lizard!”) – literal translations of both English and Te Reo that are anything but the intended meaning – but I reckon the whole point is in NOT explaining, especially because the two translators you rely on to convey meaning feign literal impartiality and the results are hilarious.

Just watch those two gorgeous young things fall in hopeless digital love… Oh I do love a sweet comedy. Especially a Comedy of Errors.

– Steve

See here (available until mid-September)

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