Pohlen Newbery

Pohlen Newbery (Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou) is a mother of two who grew up, lives and works in Ōhinehou. An accidental poet, playwright and performer not often found outside of her port town comfort zone, loves to play with words and her audience.

She wrote, directed, produced and performed in a sell-out play Lucky For Some at The Loons in 2021 and frequently features in various poetry, music and theatre events.

Her current projects include “Tjopi” along side Tjalling de Vries, creating semi industrial layers of field recordings, synth, sheetmetal feedback and looped samples that provide a sinister soundscape for Pohlen’s toi kupu and reinterpreted waiata in both te reo and english.

“Te toi whakairo, ka ihiihi, ka wehiwehi, ka aweawe te ao katoa”