Briar Grace-Smith

Story by Himiona Grace

Briar was born in Whakatane and spent most of her childhood in Pukerua Bay (north of Wellington) but she was never disconnected from her Nga Puhi roots. 

Every year her family travelled the long distances to their papakainga (homeland) in Whangaruru harbour, Northland, to spend the summer months camping under giant pohutukawa trees, fishing, cooking kaimoana and spinning yarns around the camp fire. 

This storytelling time, the rich history of the surrounding land and people has always had a huge influence over Briar’s life and provides endless inspiration for her writing. “There are no roads to the land, no power so you can’t whip out your laptop and start writing whenever you want. Sometimes I walk around to my uncles and recharge it on his generator”. But it’s not necessarily where much writing takes place.
 
“It’s actually belonging to a place, knowing the characters that have been through there over the generations. There are so many stories to tell. The outdoors in general, and getting away from the computer provides me with the space I need to let ideas generate. I solve a lot of writing problems when I’m out walking with the dog”. 

Photo: Himiona Grace

Briar credits her parents for encouraging her in the arts. “There was a love of books in our house, and they introduced me to theatre at an early age. Dad took me to lots of hui at marae. There were plenty of great and often epic stories being told there, my imagination was captured’. Her mother worked in early childhood education and wrote children’s books. Briar’s father, a pakeha from South Otago spent much of his years teaching in the Bay of Plenty. It was a community made up of Ngati Awa and Tuhoe people who spoke te reo Maori as their first language. Learning the language was a given and earned her father much respect within that community.  

At 17 Briar took a journalism internship with the Evening Post (DomPost). One of her first assignments was to interview a Maori theatre company that was being set up at the Wellington Arts Centre on Willis St. The Centre was run by well known Maori artist Darcy Nicolas and he had an ambitious plan to create Te Ohu Whakaari, a professional Maori theatre troupe. Briar was so taken by the idea that she put her journalism aside and joined the group. Under the direction of Rangimoana Taylor the group wrote, scored and performed their own original works. Opening at Wellington’s Depot theatre they went on to tour theatres, schools, marae and communities throughout Aotearoa. 

This was the beginning of Briar’s playwriting career. 

Several years later Briar was a founding member of He Ara Hou, a theatre troupe based o the Kapiti Coast. They produced several critically acclaimed plays that toured New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Although the writing was a collaborative effort Briar picked the skills and confidence she needed to write her first play. Ngā Pou Wāhine opened at Taki Rua theatre in 1995. Starring Rachel House and directed by Nancy Brunning it was a solo piece where the actor played many characters. 

“On opening night I was so nervous. Nancy and I hid under the seating and looked out at the stage through the legs of the audience.  It wasn’t until I watched the new production (2015) that I realised how much of the stories captured in the play were inspired by family. It was all quite personal.”

The play was a success and Briar went on to win the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award that year and the Peter Harcourt award for Best Short Play at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards. Her second effort Purapurawhetu won Best New Zealand Play at the 1997 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards.

Rehearsing with Purapurawhetū cast members Bradley Carrol, Jim Moriarty and George Henare in 1999

The writing achievements didn’t stop there. She has written 9 plays, is a published short story writer and poet and has worked on many television productions. Her first feature film The Strength of Water premiered at Rotterdam and Berlin Film Festivals in February 2009. Briar made her directorial debut with the short film Nine of Hearts in 2011. She has travelled to Utah for the Sundance labs, attended festivals and held writing workshops in Australia, Hawaii and Canada. “The travelling re-energises me because I meet so many inspiring and creative people. I am reminded why telling and sharing stories is as important in these times, as it ever was.”

Briar is working on a feature film, a new play and she teaches writing for theatre, part time at Victory University. It takes a lot of drive and belief to ‘make it’ in the arts industry. So when does Briar get to relax? “Going back to Whangaruru is when I really relax. Knowing I’m going to the beach at the end of the year is the reward for the hard work. I hope to move there one day.”