Awhi Tapu

Where do we stand as young people in the community? Who do we follow now all the old people have left?

At the foot of the Urewera ranges lies Awhi Tapu - a desolate forestry ghost town; with the forestry industry closed down most of the inhabitants have left. Wendyl, Sonny, Casper and Girl Girl have only each other and their fertile imaginations to rely on.

This is a story of loss, belonging, but most of all, friendship; it heralds a new wave of writing around Maori issues and characters; direct, unsentimental and challenging.

'Awhi Tapu is about reconciliation, it's about overcoming great loss to discover all that really matters are those who we love most.' - Albert Belz

Reviews

NEW ZEALAND HERALD
‘Two parts comedy, two parts tragedy and several shots of intense drama. ..Don’t miss the opportunity to see this play.’

‘Belz weaves the different elements of the play with great assurance and it builds impressively in emotional power. Considerable humor is generated by (their) attempts to package their story as a Hollywood screenplay starring Denzel Washington ...’

GISBORNE HERALD
‘Sometimes hilarious, sometimes heart rending’

THEATREVIEW
‘The play weaves past and present, fantasy and reality, comedy and tragedy to compelling effect ... he uses insightful humor to make a powerful statement about the consequences of displacing people whose need to stand tall in their own land is deeply rooted.’

SALIENT
‘Awhi Tapu’s revelations of small-town violence and arson generated such heat in this small theatre space that it threatened to consume the audience. With this play Albert Belz flew straight into the top echelon of Maori playwrights.’

Awhi Tapu also received an award from The Human Rights Commission for its "positive contribution towards harmonious race relations - a marvellous story, presented with humour, passion, pathos and hope."