UPU – meaning ‘word’ in many different languages of the Pacific Islands– is a collection of voices from a people who live on a sea of islands connected by the largest body of water on earth, known as Te moana Nui a Kiwa, or the Pacific Ocean.

Through the words of 23 poets, ranging from young voices to acclaimed literary figures, UPU explores a rich tapestry of stories, experiences, and perspectives from First Nations peoples of the islands. 

These poems reflect on cultural identity, history and the challenges faced by Pacific communities — from Hawaiians debating Captain Cook’s legacy, the joys of SPAM in Guam and other Americanised islands and the Marshall Islands’ struggle against rising seas. The show’s magic comes alive through a cast of Pacific performers, each with a rich background in theatre, film and television, whose passionate delivery of these powerful poems will transport you across the ocean.