Te reo Māori version of Sonnet 18 at Globe Theatre

13 August 2009

Media Release

Te reo Māori version of Sonnet 18 to be unveiled at Globe Theatre

Perhaps the most famous of Shakespeare’s sonnets, Sonnet 18, which starts with the line, ‘Shall I compare thee to a Summers day…’ has been translated into te reo Māori and will be unveiled at Shakespeare’s Globe in London 19 August 2009 as part of its Compleate Workes 2009 celebrating the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s sonnets.

The translation has been scribed in calligraphy style on to soft flax paper and features a green fern frond in the background creating a rather unique art piece which stands as a collaboration of culture and language.

“It’s a very fitting way of honouring Shakespeare’s legacy and serves to remind us of the singular commonality that binds us all – that the language of love transcends all communication barriers” says Huhana Rokx, Chief Executive of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (The Māori Language Commission).

Translator Te Haumihiata Mason agrees, saying that translating the sonnet into the Māori language required some research into the classical language of the Māori. Most of the sentiments of love are conveyed in universal ways and Shakespeare’s treatment of the language, his use of metaphors and similes to convey intensity of emotion, are similar to the way classical Māori language uses literary and metaphoric figures of speech.

“Our great Māori orators, just like Shakespeare, were masters at creating concise turns of phrases that were loaded with imagery and meaning and as such there are many historic love stories to reference relevant language from. So it was a pleasure to rediscover these stories again and find the most appropriate language to capture the same sentiment that Shakespeare conveys within the sonnet”, says Te Haumihiata Mason.

“Ultimately this collaborative effort not only celebrates Shakespeare in a culturally unique way but also showcases our own Māori language of love, reintroducing this classical narrative to a new generation of learners and speakers” says Huhana Rokx.

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Te 13 o Hereturikōkā 2009

He Pānui Pāpāho

Ka huraina te taha reo Māori o te Sonnet 18 i te Whare Tapere Globe

Kua whakamāoritia te mōteatea rongonui rawa atu a Hakipia, a Sonnet 18, e tīmata ana me te rārangi, ‘Shall I compare thee to a Summers day…’, ā, ka huraina i te Whare Tapere o Hakipia ki Rānana ā te 19 o Hereturikōkā 2009, hei wāhanga o te Compleate Workes 2009, e whakanuihia ai te huringa whā rautau o te tānga o ngā mōteatea a Hakipia.

Kua tuhia te whakamāoritanga ki tētahi momo tuhinga ātaahua ki tētahi pepa muka māngohe e whakaatu ana i te rauaruhe hei āhua whakamuri e tū ai tētahi toi ahurei hei tohu i te noho tahi o te tikanga iwi (ahurea) me te reo.

E ai ki tā Huhana Rokx, Kaiwhakahaere Matua o Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori “E tika ana kia whakahōnoretia te taonga tuku iho a Hakipia me tōnā tū anō hei whakamahara i a tātou ki te pātahi kotahi e here ana i a tātou katoa – ko tā te reo aroha, he whakawhiti i ngā ārai tauwhitinga whakaaro katoa”.

E tautoko ana hoki te kaiwhakamāori, a Te Haumihiata, me tana kōrero mai mō te uaua o te huri ki te rangahau i te reo Māori o nehe. Kotahi tonu te huarahi i te ao mō te kawe i te nuinga o ngā whakaaro aroha, me te ōrite anō o te whakamahi a Hakipia i te reo ki tā te Māori o mua whakamahi ai, pērā i tana whakamahi i ngā
kupu whakarite hei kawe i te hōhonu o te kāre-ā-roto, he rite ki te āhua o te Māori o nehe.

Hei tā Te Haumihiata Mason, “Pērā i a Hakipia, he tohunga ō tātou pūkōrero Māori rongonui ki te whakaniko i te kupu, e kī ana tā rātou i tuhi ai i te kīanga pohewa me te tikanga, me te aha, he nui ngā pūrākau whaiāipo mai rā anō hei tohutoro i te kupu e hāngai ana. Nā reira, ka nui te harikoa ki te hura hōu anō i ngā pūrākau nei me te rapu i ngā kōrero hāngai hei hopu i te ngako o te kōrero e kawe ana a Hakipia i roto i ana mōteatea.

E ai anō ki tā Huhana, “I te mutunga, ehara i te mea kei te whakanui tēnei mahi i a Hakipia anahe, heoi anō rā, e whakaatu ana i te reo Māori whaiāipo me tōnā whakaata anō i tēnei kōrero o neherā, ki tētahi whakatipuranga kaikōrero hōu.

KA MUTU I KONEI

ENDS

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