Rena Owen

Rena Owen was born at Moerewa and was educated at Bay of Islands College. She trained and qualified as a state registered general and obstetric nurse at Auckland Public Hospital. Rena travelled to London and was based there for the next two years before serving eight months in prison. Rena was released in 1985. In 1986 she wrote Te Ata i Tahuti and worked in television. At the end of 1988 she returned to New Zealand and acted in the E Tipu E Rei series in 1989. In 1990 she was part of the International Arts Festival in Wellington and began writing Daddy’s Girl which was completed in January 1991. This play was produced at Taki Rua Theatre in February and March 1991. In 1990 she directed Te Whanau a Tuanui Jones in its national tour. Rena has acted in the television series Shark in the Park and in children’s theatre. In 1992 she coordinated a national hui for Māori drama practitioners at Tapu Terangi Marae and in October 1992 attended the South Pacific Arts Festival. A third play has been commissioned. Rena has written a few short stories for radio. Two extracts from both her plays were published in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Volume 5: Te Tōrino: The Spiral. In 1991 she was awarded a Te Atairangikaahu Commemorative Literary Award in the Drama Category. Rena has worked as an actor on television in England and New Zealand and has featured in the films Variations of a Theme and Roimata. She has acted in many New Zealand films and in-house videos, and has reviewed plays for Stage and Radio.

Biographical sources

• Phone interview and correspondence with Rena Owen, 1 and 16 Sept. 1992 .