Meet Tāwhiri's Festival Co-Directors

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Dolina: The feeling of being lifted in a dance sequence and then landing back on the ground perfectly balanced. The joy of all 4 of my children under one roof. A cup of Choysa tea at my Mum and Dad’s.

Tama: If I was thinking more deeply then I guess perfect happiness is living in a world where we all actively practise the principles of manaakitanga and aroha, meaning specifically that we actively work to build and celebrate each other’s intrinsic value in harmony with the natural world and where the idea of “us” transcends time and space. Otherwise, it is creamed paua.

What is your greatest fear?

Dolina: I’m superstitious, I can’t say it out loud (or in writing) for fear of making it happen. But I can say I am afraid of mice. I either annoyingly freeze or find myself perched on nearest highest object before I even realise I’ve moved.

Tama: Hurting or disappointing my nearest and dearest.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Dolina: My ability to burst into tears when I’m trying to speak in front of a group.

Tama: Like many people of my generation I am on a journey discovering all of the beauty of neurodiversity and understanding the vast spectrum of possibilities and manifestations this can create. I have always struggled with focus, procrastination and forgetfulness. My niece and I used to laugh at the number of times I would leave sunglasses, keys, wallet, passport, watch and other essential items at their house when I was visiting. The worst of these isms for me has always been my lack of patience and tendency to both change subject and/ or interrupt. For years I just thought I was rude and while this may actually still be true, it has been interesting even at my age to learn new tricks for old dogs. To be continued.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Dolina: Being judgmental. (which means I’m probably judgmental!)

Tama: Lack of empathy.

Which living person do you most admire?

Dolina: My husband. I spend a lot of time admiring him! I think he is a wonderful actor with a heart of gold and he’s not afraid to put himself out there for others if it’s the right thing to do.

Tama: Dame Hinewehi Mohi.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Dolina: I have a whole lot of little extravagances that add up. I buy expensive gluten free bread. I like going to my preferred hairdresser who is in Te Awamutu.

Tama: Robot vacuum. It was hugely reduced and cost less than an actual vacuum at the time but on reflection seems a bit ridiculous. My flattie named it Brobot.

What is your current state of mind?

Dolina: Alert. Not helpful as it is well past bedtime.

Tama: Renovations underway and scaffolding being earthquake strengthened.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Dolina: Diligence. I used to get that on my school report. I’m suspicious it meant tries hard but not the best.

Tama: Patience.

On what occasion do you lie?

Dolina: To avoid hurting someone’s feelings.

Tama: In interviews and questionnaires.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?

Dolina: Bad posture.

Tama: "Where is it written that we need to be somebody? As if that’s all there is to know? Too many bodies are in pain to be a picture of what the picture’s never show.” – Mirror (T. Waipara) from the album “Fill Up The Silence”

What is the quality you most admire in a person?

Dolina: Manaakitanga. I admire people who are great “people” people – who provide great care and aroha for others, are great at talking to people of all ages, make everyone feel valued, and are at ease at having people in their home.

Tama: Uniqueness. Someone who is true to who they are.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Dolina: With my kids – “Guess what? ….. you know….. I love you”. Pretty sure they’re sick of hearing that. Elsewhere “Sorry I’m late”.

Tama: Absolutely.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Dolina: Dance is the great love of my life!

Tama: Music. It has always been my safe space and way to navigate the world around me, an immediate lifeline to express joy and sadness and way to unpack the turbulence of love and loss.

When or where were you happiest?

Dolina: Recent happy memory is watching my daughter and her dad performing together at Te Matatini. Te mutunga kē mai o te pai!

Sitting in a theatre watching a show is my happy place. And discos.

Tama: The long summer holidays of my childhood in Manutuke at my Nanny’s house surrounded by all our whānau or with my Grandparents and immediate whānau on the banks of the Rakaia River, swimming, playing and growing.

Which talent would you most like to have?

Dolina: Singing! Much easier to bust out, dancing takes up room.

Tama: Dancer/ Gymnast/ Acrobat/ Ninja

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Dolina: I’d like to be more relaxed. Less goody two-shoes.

Tama: Self-acceptance.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Dolina: My children are my greatest achievement.

Tama: Being a part of the team and community responsible for creating and building Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival from its inception to a beautifully realised and vital part of the landscape of our country.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

Dolina: Well, this is a crazy question - I’d like to come back as the resurrection of something that is extinct but by bringing it back it would be helpful for the environment.

Tama: My cat who has long since passed. He was loved and spoilt by not only me but by my brother and sister in law and cousins who lived next door to us at the time. Soooooo spoilt!

Where would you most like to live?

Dolina: I asked my kids this once, and my youngest replied “Underwater”. I’d love to live on ancestral land. I’d love to live somewhere with grass where I can wear my gumboots, and near the ocean so I can go for runs along the shoreline. With good wifi.

Tama: Aotearoa, standing on the shoreline that beckoned our ancestors and looking toward the horizon with optimism and a committed intention for the generations to come.

What is your most treasured possession?

Dolina: I’m a collector of things so I’ve got a few special items, but right now I’m treasuring the kākahu we made as a whānau for our daughter’s high-school graduation. We’ve been learning how to whatu with an amazing rōpū who have been bringing the art-form of cloak making and te reo back into the families of kura kaupapa / Māori education in Auckland. We named the kākahu Ngāpuawai, after her great-grandmother and to celebrate her blossoming out into the world and off to uni.

Tama: My late father’s pounamu (hei matau)

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Dolina: Being subjected to violence.

Tama: Hurting or disappointing my nearest and dearest.

What is your favourite occupation?

Dolina: Festivaling.

Tama: Festival Director.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Dolina: My Co-Director has an enduring nick-name for me: “The Bun of Doom”. So perhaps my long black hair which is often whipped into a top-knot when I’m concentrating.

Tama: Frankness and clarity.

What do you most value in your friends?

Dolina: I treasure time with my friends to have a cup of tea and a kōrero. My friends have so much warmth and wisdom, great perspectives on issues, and are so creative. When I’m with my friends I feel plugged into the source.

Tama: Honesty and loyalty.

Who are your favourite writers?

Dolina: I love NZ fiction. Patricia Grace and Witi Ihimaera would be my traditional favourites. I also love the late Barbara Anderson’s books. Every year I re-read Long Hot Summer. In the summer, predictably.

Tama: Witi Ihimaera, Hone Tūwhare, Emily King, Angie Hart, Mahinarangi Tocker, Kate Bush.

Who is your hero of fiction?

Dolina: I had to look over at our bookshelf to answer this one. Today I pick Hermione Grainger. Brainy, brave, kind, loyal, gets shit sorted, good at spells. I got her wand in Edinburgh, Tama reminded me “The Wand chooses the Wizard!”.

Tama: Ororo Munroe aka Storm (X-Men) the no powers era (1984)

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Dolina: A temple dancer in Ancient Greece.

Tama: Māui Pōtiki

Who are your heroes in real life?

Dolina: I have great respect for teachers.

Tama: My whānau.

What are your favourite names?

Dolina: All my children have middle names that acknowledge special tūpuna: Arihia, Rose, Ruadh, Martin John.

Tama: Manawa and Diana

What is it that you most dislike?

Dolina: Mushrooms.

Tama: Cruelty and those who seek to benefit from the diminishing and degrading of others.

What is your greatest regret?

Dolina: Old school sleep training my first baby. It worked but I would never do it again.

Tama: Any time that I have devoted to believing or aspiring to societal propaganda of what is “normal” and worthy of love. As my dear friend Maisey once said, “There is enough aroha in the world for everybody.”

How would you like to die?

Dolina: As per the fear question, can’t say out loud.

Tama: At a time and in a way that made more room for acceptance and remembrance than pain or grief.