”Ka mate ka ora”, our nation’s fierce battle cry, frames Helen Pearse-Otene’s new play about the Vietnam War. Premiering on 21 May at Capital E in Wellington, Ka Mate Ka Ora is a story of aftermath and reconciliation specially commissioned by Tribute 08 – A Vietnam Commemoration and Te Rakau Hua o Te Wao Tapu Trust.

This isn’t the first time Pearse-Otene has written about war. She was responsible for 2006’s powerful Battalion which took the story of World War Two’s 28th Maori Battalion to schools all over New Zealand.

A Play about Vietnam

New Zealand’s military history usually evokes images of Gallipoli and the Western Front. Less is known about the 3,500 kiwi soldiers who served in Vietnam, 37 of whom were killed in action. One thousand of those who served have now died.

Pearse-Otene’s father fought in Vietnam. Inspired by his story and experiences, Ka Mate Ka Ora acknowledges the legacy of war inherited by many Vietnam Veterans and their families.

Pearse-Otene is honest about writing this play for contemporary New Zealand. “The Vietnam War is an experience which for many New Zealanders is one they would rather forget,” she says.

That’s only half the problem. “Most of the youth that Te Rakau works with have never heard of the Vietnam War. Those who had heard of it thought the Americans won. Many simply associated it with movie soundtracks or the music their parents and grandparents listened to.”

Unfazed, Pearse-Otene has written a powerful story. Hohepa is the protagonist and a Vietnam veteran. As his family life unravels, his ex-army mates arrive to help – still dealing with their own battle-scarred memories.

Serendipitous timing

Tribute 08 banners are already flying down Wellington’s Courtenay Place. At Queen’s Birthday weekend thousands of people will gather to honour and remember those who fought in Vietnam. It is only the second such reunion. The first was 10 years ago at the emotional Parade ’98.

Pearse-Otene had been considering two projects. One was based on Te Rauparaha’s haka, Ka Mate, Ka Ora. “The other was about impact of the Vietnam experience on a suburban Maori family,” she explains.

“As time progressed it seemed that the two very different projects had similar themes and links, so the projects were merged into one.”

A little while and some Te Waka Toi funding later, she was approached by Tribute 08. “We had decided to run with it no matter what,” she says, “but the Tribute 08 opportunity was certainly auspicious and out of the blue".

“New Zealand’s National Poem” is how Pearse-Otene describes Te Rauparaha’s famous haka Ka Mate Ka Ora. “Ka mate! Ka mate!” (I die, I die!) were the words Te Rauparaha uttered as he fled Ngati Te Aho. “Ka Ora! Ka Ora!” (I live, I live!) as he realised he had escaped. It is a chant of the triumph of life over death.

“Te Rauparaha’s haka most eloquently sums up the moment when you are balanced between life and death – that moment when the decision you make will determine whether you live to see the next day or not,” she says.

How the actors bring this historical perspective into the telling of the Vietnam story will make for fascinating theatre.

Te Rakau

As Artistic Director of Te Rakau Hua o Te Wao Tapu Trust, Jim Moriarty knows how to get to the core of his characters. Prison inmates and secondary students all over New Zealand have been both audience and performers in Te Rakau’s works.

It is theatre of the people, for the people.

Ka Mate Ka Ora will be ‘black box’ theatre with no embellishments or trickery. Pearse-Otene suggests the point is to tell stories, not cast judgments.

“But if seeing this play serves to open dialogue among audience members, or is a catalyst towards healing, or ignites curiosity among youngsters to look at the history of New Zealand's involvement in Vietnam, then that is a bonus,” she says.

New Vietnam War Website

By Queen’s Birthday weekend another important project will be launched. www.VietnamWar.govt.nz, produced by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, will allow people to contribute their memories and memorabilia to a digital history archive. An exercise in digital narration, it could in time form the basis for the development of further educational and historical resources on New Zealand's involvement in Vietnam.