The Redaction Action That Sparked A National Reckoning Comes Home
Te Wehi Ratana's story takes centre stage in ration the Queen's veges following a theatrical act of redaction, resistance, and reclamation, playing to Circa Theatre, Wellington from 16 August – 13 September. Following its 2025 premiere at Te Pou Theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau as part of the Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival, the production comes home to the whenua where the story was born.
Co-written with director Tainui Tukiwaho this uplifting one-man play is inspired by true events and shares the remarkable experience of Te Wehi Ratana's time in Rimutaka Prison. Part courtroom drama, part prison diary, part absurdist kōrero, people can expect a playful and provocative theatrical experience that questions what we hold to be true.
In December 2023, Te Papa Tongarewa became ground zero for an act of protest that shook the nation. Tangata Whenua-led, direct action, climate and social justice rōpū Te Waka Hourua painted over the English text of the Treaty of Waitangi exhibition with the now-iconic provocation: 'no. Her Majesty the Queen of England is the alien. ration the Queen's veges.'
The action ignited a national reckoning — sparking outrage, admiration, discomfort, and kōrero across the motu. All involved faced charges, only Te Wehi Ratana was held in Rimutaka Prison. This is the story of his 48 hours behind bars.
Locked in a cell with his new mate Brian, Ratana discovered the true currency of incarceration: conversation… And lozzies. Nicotine Lozenges (or lozzies) became a bartering tool for stories. Inmates offered their thoughts — unfiltered and raw — on the Treaty, the Te Papa artivism, the Crown, and colonisation. What began as small talk soon gave way to confessions, kōrero, and hopes and dreams for the future.
Ratana began collecting those reflections — written down in letters from the inmates. The voices that emerged were nuanced, poetic, conflicted, and deeply human. ration the Queen's veges is built on those voices.
'You think you know who's inside prison. But when you're in there, and you really listen, you realise: these are some of the most honest voices in the country. And they rarely get heard.' – Te Wehi Ratana
Performed by the accomplished Ngahiriwa Rauhina (Ngāti Whakaue, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Raukawa), ration the Queen's veges gives shape to the people and stories Ratana met behind bars — some true, some not. From his cellmates' surprising tenderness to the fierce loyalty of the inmates in Block C, Rauhina shapeshifts through a dozen characters with humour, purpose and emotional precision.
The play premiered to acclaim at Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival in 2025. Critics said:
'A powerful and necessary amplification of the quieter voices of rebellion in our society.' – Art Murmurs
"A true story told with charm, clarity and honesty. Totally recommended."
— Theatreview
Tukiwaho says the play illustrates the impact political action can have on those who are normally shunned in our society.
'Te Wehi found a safe space for inmates to express and share their feelings through ingenuity and genuine connection. ration the Queen's veges is a story about the quiet voice of defiance that still burns within us even when we are silenced.'
It is particularly significant that ration the Queen's veges now arrives in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, 100 metres from where the protest took place, where Te Wehi was charged and convicted, and where the original spray-painted panel has since been removed.
In April 2024, Te Papa installed a new Treaty display — a more curated response that includes video explanations and signage referencing the protest. But the original panel? It's in storage. Its future is unclear.
Meanwhile, Ratana with Te Pou Theatre, is not done telling his story…
CREATIVE TEAM
Kaiwhakaari / Performer – Ngahiriwa Rauhina
Writers / Kaituhi – Te Wehi Ratana & Tainui Tukiwaho
Director / Ringatohu – Tainui Tukiwaho
Stage Manager & Voice Artist – Roy Iro
Lighting Design, AV Design & Production Manager – Jane Hakaraia
Sound Design – Connor Magatogia
Set, Costume & Props – Nicole Marsh
AV Support – Bekky Boyce
Operator – Marshall Rankin
Produced by Te Pou Theatre and Ko.Ko.Ko Productions
SEASON DETAILS
Venue: Circa Two, Circa Theatre, Wellington
Early Bird Tickets: 19 June – 3 July 2025
Preview Night: Friday 15 August
Season dates: 16 Aug - 13 Sept
Programmed for inclusion in the TAHI - New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance
Choose Your Price Night: Tuesday 19 August
Audio Described Performance is at 4.30pm Sunday 7th September
Sunday Special Tickets: 4.30pm Sunday 17 September, tickets are $40.
Relaxed Performance: 4.30pm, Sunday 24 August. Also, pre-notes are available on request.
Q&A Session: Sunday 17 Aug following the 4.30pm performance
Relaxed Performance: Sunday 24 August
Tickets: $30–$60 at www.circa.co.nz
Runtime: 50 mins (no interval)
Content Note: Contains coarse language and themes related to incarceration and protest.
Tainui Tukiwaho is an experienced theatre maker having worked professionally in te ao whakaari for the past 20 years. He began his career as an actor after graduating from Unitec. Using this skill as a foundation for storytelling, he progressed to directing and writing where – over the past 10 years – he has built a sizable resume. Tainui observed a lack of Māori voices on our professional stages and quickly adopted and implemented a distinctive style and perspective representative of his cultural background. With this voice he has written, adapted and translated many plays, including Peter, Paka, Paratene, E kore a muri e hokia, Hoki Mai, Tama ma, Larger than life, Te Awarua and the international sell-out festival show Black Ties.
Ngahiriwa Rauhina (Ngāti Whakaue, Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Raukawa) is a multidisciplinary artist whose career spans over two decades in Aotearoa's performing arts landscape. Raised in the healing waters of Whakarewarewa beneath the watchful eye of Tarawera Maunga, Ngahiriwa carries his Te Arawa whakapapa into every role—whether acting, directing, producing, or mentoring. He has worked across stage and screen, collaborating with some of the country's leading creatives, including recent roles in The Visitors, He Kōni Ahi, and Shortland Street. Passionate about elevating Te Ao Māori through storytelling, Ngahiriwa is also a devoted father and partner, committed to building platforms for future generations of Māori artists.
Stage Manager and voice artist (off-stage actor) Roy Iro (Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Manahiki, Rakahanga, Tongareva) Roy Iro is an award-winning writer and actor from West Auckland, New Zealand, of Cook Islands descent. He graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 2021.In 2021, Iro co-created and performed in FLAMES: A Hip-Hop Musical, earning the 2021 Wellington Fringe Parkin Development Award and earning Best Supporting Actor for the short film In The Depths (2021). Iro's screen credits include appearances in the television series "Wellington Paranormal" (2022) and Time Bandits (2024).In 2023, Iro was selected for the Q Theatre Residency Programme and Playmarket's Brown Ink residency (2023), providing him with the opportunity to develop new theatrical works and further hone his craft.
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