Tanya Muagututi'a Explained

Tanya Muagututi'a is a New Zealand playwright and arts festival director.^{[1] [2]}

Biography

Muagututi'a's father, Muagututi'a Pulusila Meafou Sagapolutele, was Samoan and moved to New Zealand in the early 1950s, aged 11, to attend school.

She co-founded Pacific Underground, a performing arts organisation for Pacific artists, in Christchurch in 1993.^{[3] [4]}

In 2020, Muagututi'a won Best Play by Pasifika Playwright at the Adam New Zealand Play Awards for her script Scholars, which is based on her father's experiences as a Samoan scholarship student in New Zealand.

Recognition

In the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, Muagututi'a was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Pacific performing arts.^[5]

Personal life

Muagututi'a is married to Posenai Mavaega, who co-founded Pacific Underground with her.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2020-04-01. Pasifika playwright winner in Adam NZ Play Awards 2020. 2021-06-14. RNZ. en-nz.
2. Web site: Tanya Muagututi'a. 2021-06-14. The Court Theatre. en.
3. Web site: Tanya Muagututi'a. 2021-06-14. FREE THEATRE CHRISTCHURCH. en.
4. Web site: 2016-06-09. Pacific Underground. 2021-06-14. RNZ. en-nz.
5. News: 2021-06-07 . Queen's Birthday honours: Pacific recognised . 2021-06-14 . RNZ News.