Auckland choregrapher and dancer Merenia Gray's latest work pays tribute to her extraordinary late mother, Tiahuia.
Tiahuia Gray was adopted at birth into the Kingitanga, as a whāngai to Princess Te Puea Hērangi, spending her formative years in Waikato/Tainui on Tūrangawaewae Marae.
She straddled three iwi, had a deep knowledge of tikanga Māori and Maori performing arts, including karanga, which was her speciality.
Merenia is currently writing a book about her mother, and her multidiscipinary work, Karanga, is being performed at Q Theatre in Auckland on August 5.
