He may be approaching 70 years old but Rawiri Paratene is still very much involved in the theatre world, having recently read the reo Māori version of Romeo and Juliet at the annual Kōanga festival hosted by Te Pou Theatre over the weekend.
He said it was an honour to be a part of the reading as it was seeing Hamlet by Shakespeare that first sparked his passion for acting when he was only 12 years old.
“As soon as it was finished, I went to my teacher and I said - I want to be an actor,” he says.
He’s one of the handful of actors involved in the reading along with the likes of Te Atamira Ward-Lealand, Te Rauhiringa Brown, Tainui Tukiwaho, and Amber Cureen. The reo version of the famous play was translated into te reo by Te Haumihiata Mason in 2015, as part of the Kotahi Rau pukapuka project.
“He has so much knowledge about Shakespeare,” says Ngahiriwa Rauhina who plays Romeo on the reading.
“And this world of theatre in general. We are honoured to have him be a part of this with us.”
Paratene has had many roles over the years: as a Māori language activist, an actor on the stage and screen, and as the father of Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.
But a series of strokes left him struggling to speak in 2021.
He had been a member of the activist group Ngā Tamatoa, which delivered the reo petition to the steps of Parliament in 1972.
He says Māori performing arts and Māori presence in the industry has come a long way since he started 50 years ago.
“Māori and Pasifika, we are the best and I’m so proud! Especially the young ones coming through.”