Kiri Wai Inner Skin

World Premiere

Kiri Wai, Inner Skin is the story of Bruce, a young European-American who undertakes a journey to the South Pacific. He is on an identity quest that began in his adolescence when Inia Taylor (Maori tattoo artist, sculptor, and makeup artist for “Once Were Warriors”) began a moko on Bruce’s skin.

Over the course of his quest, Bruce seeks answers to questions about the moko. In the process, he delves into Maori culture and the moko’s place in other cultures. Is the art tattooed on Bruce’s skin a reflection of his identity? Does the moko reveal his deeper
nature and artistic identity? Or is he being cheated? Is a Westerner with a Moko living in a fool’s paradise, believing an artist’s explanation of a tattoo without ever reaching his own
understanding of the symbols marking him for life?