Katie Wolfe Photo: supplied
It was a famous scandal back in 1979 - the violent clash between He Taua Māori activists and a group of Auckland University engineering students. At issue was the mock haka traditionally put on at Orientation. But times had changed, and the incident became one of the catalysts of the Māori renaissance that was to follow in the 80s.
There was a court case and then a race relations enqury into the incident.
Playwright Katie Wolfe has tracked down and spoken to those involved on the day, and she's woven their memories and their exact words into a verbatim theatre show called The Haka Party Incident.
It's been several years in the making, and films of the interviews themselves will play at the Auckland Museum.
Lynn Freeman asked Katie how she came across this half-forgotten but hugely significant event.
The Haka Party Incident premieres at the ASB Waterfront Theatre on March the 5th.
