Ihirangaranga | Kōanga Festival 2026
Ihirangaranga is a one of a kind artistic experience bringing together taonga puoro, live music, spoken word, and real-time painting.
Te piko o te whakaaro, te tupu o te whakaari, tākiritia!
In 2026, we celebrated our 12th Kōanga Festival, taking time to revel in the beauty and audacity of our creative natives and Tangata Moana mates amidst these challenging financial and political times. It’s been an increasingly difficult landscape for creatives to navigate , engari our storytellers continued to rise with fresh ideas, keeping their stories alive and thriving, ahakoa te aha.
Our 2026 festival programme hummed with vibrant new voices and exciting showcases, alongside acclaimed artists and established stories. Together, we savoured the smorgasbord of shows and experiences that made Kōanga Festival 2026 so special.
In 2027 we officially take bloom and enter the ‘teen’ years! Until then, follow us on socials to stay in the know and check out some whakaahua from this year’s ahurei below.
Ihirangaranga is a one of a kind artistic experience bringing together taonga puoro, live music, spoken word, and real-time painting.
A stunning evening of opera, waiata, poetry and prose. An unfurling of te reo Māori on the stage to mark the opening of Kōanga Festival
Be immersed in the heart of Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa with UPU. An award-winning, dynamic and electrifying theatre experience. UPU weaves together the stories, experiences and perspectives
Wai Tawhito invokes oceanic origins of ritual challenging the perception of time created by Tūrongo Collectives Mierewai & Te Wehi Kore Karena & channeled by
New scripts and your favourite ‘sip’ to celebrate new works for the stage by Maioha Allen and Reon Te Aorangi Max Rose, Huia Max Rose
A free writing wānanga for Māori writers who are interested in developing their storytelling practice in te reo Māori.
I Was Born To Speak, a solo show blending spoken word, theatre and kapa haka to shine a light on the silencing of te reo
A Māori comedy night, expect sharp tongues, quick wit, a room full of whānau and laughter that echoes long after the lights go down.
A fun-filled, free day for the whole whānau! Storytelling from Aotearoa and Te Moana-nui-a-kiwa, kapa haka, cultural performances, kēmu, arts activities, kai and more.
New scripts and your favourite ‘sip’ to celebrate new works for the stage by Ellen-Moana Smith, Poe Tiare Tararo & Roy Iro this Kōanga Festival.
