Suli Moa

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Suli Moa
Born31 December 1986
Greenlane, Auckland
NationalityTongan
EducationSaint Kentigern College
Alma materToi Whakaari, The University of Auckland
Known forActing & Writing
Children4

Suli Moa (born 31 December 1986) is a New Zealand playwright, actor, screenwriter and teacher of Tongan descent.[1] He wrote and performed the first Tongan Play in New Zealand, Kingdom of Lote.[2][3] As a playwright Moa has been awarded the Adam New Zealand Play Award for Best Pacific Play, 12th Round (2016), and Tales of a Princess (2018).[4][5] Moa's acting credits include A love yarn (2021) and Sweet Tooth (2021). His writing credits include The Panthers (2021) and Shortland Street (2021-2022).[6] Moa has also appeared in multiple short films as an actor and served as a cultural advisor.[7]

Early life[edit]

Born on 31 December 1986, Moa is the second of three children. His father was a factory worker from the village of Fahefa (Tongatapu) and his mother was a dishwasher, from the village of Fangale'ounga (Ha'apai) in Tonga. Moa grew up in Glen Innes, East Auckland, then moved to New Lynn where he began schooling at New Lynn Primary School in West Auckland, in 1991. He attended Avondale Intermediate and finished his secondary schooling at Saint Kentigern College on a scholarship.[8]

Biography[edit]

In 2007 Moa began studying at Toi Whakaari in Wellington, and graduated with a BA in performing arts (Acting) in 2009.[9] He furthered his studies at The University of Auckland, where he completed a Diploma in Teaching Secondary Drama & Dance in 2011. Since graduating, Moa has taught at several secondary schools in Auckland as a Drama and English teacher at Marcellin College and Westlake Girls High School.[10]

Moa wrote, acted and staged the first Tongan play in New Zealand, Kingdom of Lote, at Mangere Arts Centre.[11][12][13][14] The Matala Festival was established in 2012 by Moa and Sesilia Pusiaki (actor and choreographer) to platform and amplify the stories of the Tongan community through a theatre, visual arts and poetry.[15][16] In the same year, Moa and his wife Natalie Moa established their own theatre company, Tales From the Kava Bowl (TFTKB) where their first play written by Moa, A Hearts Path, was staged as part of the Matala Festival at Mangere Arts Centre in Auckland.[17] The Matala Festival also included a performance from poet Karlo Mila.[18]

For his contributions to Tongan theatre in New Zealand, Moa was awarded the Emerging Artist award from Creative New Zealand.[19][20] In 2016, Moa received an Adam NZ Play Award for his piece 12th Round, produced by TFTKB at Circa Theatre, Wellington.[21]

In 2018, he was awarded Best Play by a Pasifika Playwright for his play Tales of A Princess,[22] a story highlighting the 2009 tragedy of the ship Princess Ashika. This show toured the Tongan church communities within Auckland.[23] In 2020 Moa premiered his most recent theatre piece, BURNING OPINION at the Auckland Fringe Festival, based on the 2006 Nuku'alofa riots.[24][25] The show went on to win Best Ensemble and PAANZ ready to tour at the Fringe awards.[26]

Filmography[edit]

Films & Short films[edit]

Year Film Role Notes Ref.
2011 Shopping For One Greg Short Film [27]
2012 Inorganic Garth Short Film [12]
2021 Lea Tupu'anga/Mother Tongue Cultural advisor Short Film
2021 A Love Yarn Col Film [28]

Television series[edit]

Year Series Role Notes Ref.
2020 The Panthers Writer/Extra 4Knights Productions

Nima - Episode 5

2021 Sweet Tooth Jimmy Netflix [7]
2021 The Feijoa Club Writer BSAG Productions
2021 -

Present

Shortland Street Writer South Pacific Pictures [7]

Theatre[edit]

Year Play Role Notes Ref.
2009 Once Were Samoans Taihapa Morgan Kila Kokonut Krew, Dir. Vela Manusaute
2010 Once Were Samoans Sasa Kila Kokonut Krew, Dir. Vela Manusaute
2011 Kingdom of Lote Saia/Writer Kila Kokonut Krew, Dir. Vela Manusaute [11]
Strictly Brown Quartet Kila Kokonut Krew, Dir. Vela Manusaute
2012 A Hearts Path Sam/Writer Tales from the Kava Bowl, Kate Louise-Elliot
Taro King Ricky Kila Kokonut Krew, Dir. Vela Manusaute
2013 No Man's Land Paea/Writer Tales from the Kava Bowl, Jess Sanderson
LEKA Writer Commissioned by Radio New Zealand
BUDDY TIME Writer Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT)
2016 12th Round Writer Adam award reipient - Best Pasifika Play. [21]
2018 TALES OF A PRINCESS Writer Tales from the Kava Bowl, Dir. Shadon Meridith and Amelia Reid-Meridith [23]
2020 BURNING OPINION Writer Tales from The Kava Bowl, Dir. Loma & Mosese Uhila [29]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Award winning Tongan playwright Suli Moa | Pacific Media Network". pmn.co.nz. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  2. ^ "First Tongan play takes the stage". Stuff. 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  3. ^ "Toi Whakaari Alumni". www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  4. ^ "Adam NZ Play Award winners". RNZ. 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  5. ^ "Adam NZ Play Award 2018". The Big Idea. 2018-04-11. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  6. ^ "Suli Moa". GCM. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  7. ^ a b c "Suli Moa". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  8. ^ "Behind the Page". Drama New Zealand. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  9. ^ "Graduate". www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  10. ^ "Westlake Girls Staff". Westlake Girls High School. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  11. ^ a b Bakulich, Nick. "Kingdom Of Lote - Theatreview". www.theatreview.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  12. ^ a b "Inorganic (2012)". mix-movie.com. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  13. ^ Delikan, Sharu. "Kingdom of Lote – Theatre Scenes". Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  14. ^ "Tongan play in Auckland to highlight cultural power plays in Pacific families". RNZ. 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  15. ^ Pasifika, Tagata (2012-09-27), The Matala Festival, retrieved 2022-02-09
  16. ^ "Matala – A Celebration Of Tongan Culture | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  17. ^ Smythe, Nik. "A Hearts Path - Theatrereview". www.theatreview.org.nz. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  18. ^ "Matala – A Celebration of Tongan Culture". Creative Talanoa. 2012-09-23. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  19. ^ "Suli Moa". artsfront.com. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  20. ^ "Creative New Zealand Pasifika Arts Awards 2013". Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  21. ^ a b "12th Round – Circa Theatre". Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  22. ^ "Top Playwriting Award | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  23. ^ a b Whau, Arts. "Tales of a Princess |". Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  24. ^ Lolohea, Alice (2020-02-21). "Debut at the Auckland Fringe Festival". TP+. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  25. ^ Hopgood, Sale (2020-02-26). "Pacific theatre companies tackle pressing issues at festival". RNZ. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  26. ^ "The Auckland Fringe Award Winners". 2020-03-09. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  27. ^ Shopping for One (2011) - IMDb, retrieved 2022-02-13
  28. ^ Brooks, Sam (2021-06-22). "What A Love Yarn gets right and wrong about New Zealand". The Spinoff. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  29. ^ Live, Auckland. "Burning Opinion". Auckland Live. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
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