# Rob Mokaraka

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{{Short description|New Zealand playwright, producer, and actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2021}}

'''Rob Mokaraka''' is a New Zealand playwright and actor. He affiliates to [Ngāpuhi](/source/Ng%C4%81puhi) and [Ngāi Tūhoe](/source/Ng%C4%81i_T%C5%ABhoe).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Screen|first=NZ On|title=Rob Mokaraka {{!}} NZ On Screen|url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/rob-mokaraka|access-date=2021-07-11|website=www.nzonscreen.com|language=en|archive-date=11 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711054108/https://www.nzonscreen.com/profile/rob-mokaraka|url-status=live}}</ref>

He has been part of the performing group [The Māori Sidesteps](/source/The_M%C4%81ori_Sidesteps).<ref name=":1" /> In 2006 he played Taneatua in the [Taki Rua](/source/Taki_Rua) production of [Hone Kouka's](/source/Hone_Kouka) ''[Nga Tangata Toa](/source/Nga_Tangata_Toa)'' at [Downstage Theatre](/source/Downstage_Theatre) in Wellington.<ref>{{Cite web|title=PRODUCTION INFORMATION: NGA TANGATA TOA - THE WARRIOR PEOPLE|url=https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/production.php?id=232|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-11|website=www.theatreview.org.nz|archive-date=14 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514001701/https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/production.php?id=232}}</ref> In 2012 he starred in the televised version of [Briar Grace-Smith's](/source/Briar_Grace-Smith) play ''Purapurawhetu''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=17 April 2012|title=Atamira|url=https://www.theatreview.org.nz/news/news.php?id=1017|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-11|website=www.theatreview.org.nz|archive-date=11 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711045257/https://www.theatreview.org.nz/news/news.php?id=1017}}</ref>

''Strange Resting Places'' is a stage play co-written with [Paolo Rotondo](/source/Paolo_Rotondo), produced by [Taki Rua Productions](/source/Taki_Rua) and based on family stories of the [Māori Battalion](/source/M%C4%81ori_Battalion) in Italy in World War II. ''Strange Resting Places'' was performed for over nine years and been published by [Playmarket](/source/Playmarket).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Production Information: Strange Resting Places|url=https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/production.php?id=349|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-11|website=www.theatreview.org.nz|archive-date=11 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711053446/https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/production.php?id=349}}</ref> It was also the opening feature-length episode of the six-part television series ''Atamira''. It aired on [Māori TV](/source/M%C4%81ori_Television) on 25 April 2012 at 8.30pm.<ref name=":0" />

In July 2009 Mokaraka was struggling with his mental health and attempted "[suicide-by-cop](/source/Suicide_by_cop)", an experience which he survived. He used this as the basis for a play, ''Shot Bro: Confessions of a Depressed Bullet'', which he toured around community venues in Aotearoa New Zealand for three years, 2017–2020.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=2020-06-05|title=Shot Bro: One man's struggle with depression, and the bullet that changed his life|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/05-06-2020/shot-bro-one-mans-struggle-with-depression-and-the-bullet-that-changed-his-life/|access-date=2021-07-11|website=The Spinoff|archive-date=10 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410224248/https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/05-06-2020/shot-bro-one-mans-struggle-with-depression-and-the-bullet-that-changed-his-life/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Shot Bro'' was in the Tahi Festival in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Festival Shows 2019 |url=https://www.tahifestivalnz.com/festival-shows-2019 |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=TAHI: New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance |language=en-NZ}}</ref> The documentary ''Shot Bro,'' aired on Māori TV on 7 June 2020, describes his attempts to heal from depression and to help others dealing with depression and loss.<ref name=":2" />

== Awards ==
Mokaraka won the Best Newcomer [Chapman Tripp acting award](/source/Chapman_Tripp_Theatre_Awards) for his 2001 play ''Have Car, Will Travel.''<ref name=":1" />

Mokaraka and Rotondo jointly won the Peter Harcourt Award for Outstanding New Playwright of the Year at the [Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards](/source/Chapman_Tripp_Theatre_Awards) in 2007, for ''Strange Resting Places''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=3 Dec 2007|title=CHAPMAN TRIPP THEATRE AWARDS 2007|url=https://www.theatreview.org.nz/news/news.php?id=115|url-status=live|access-date=2021-07-11|website=www.theatreview.org.nz|archive-date=11 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711053738/https://www.theatreview.org.nz/news/news.php?id=115}}</ref>

== References ==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mokaraka, Rob}}

Category:New Zealand male Māori actors
Category:New Zealand male dramatists and playwrights
Category:Ngāpuhi people
Category:Ngāi Tūhoe people
Category:Living people
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
<references />{{Authority control}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rob Mokaraka](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Mokaraka) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Mokaraka?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.