Sumud Ensemble

Sumud Ensemble has been alive and growing for the past two years, gathering community together through cultural festivals, workshops and theatre works that uplift and humanise Palestinian culture and people. Working from Māori frameworks, we bring together Palestinian, tangata whenua, tangata Tiriti and tauiwi artists and community members to create spaces grounded in manaakitanga, creativity and solidarity.

Born in response to the genocide in Gaza, Sumud Ensemble emerged from an urgent need for spaces where people could gather, connect and create together. Our work is guided by the principles of sumud — often translated as steadfastness or manawanui, but to us meaning not just surviving oppression but continuing to grow, create and imagine beyond it. We are also guided by manaakitanga, kotahitanga and courage. We believe struggles for liberation are interconnected and seek to create spaces where communities impacted by colonisation can stand together, share stories and imagine new futures.

Last Update:: 09/06/2026, 01:01 pm

Sumud Ensemble

Sumud Ensemble's Live Project

Asra: Stories of Palestinian Prisoners

Asra – Stories of Palestinian Prisoners is a documentary theatre work created by Harakat Productions and Sumud Ensemble. Using verbatim testimony, puppetry, music and audience participation, the production brings to life the words and experiences of Palestinian prisoners held under Israeli occupation. Drawing on real accounts, Asra explores not only imprisonment and injustice, but also the extraordinary courage, creativity and hope that continue to flourish in the darkest of circumstances. Literature, poetry, song and cultural practice become acts of resistance, connection and survival. Following a successful 2024 season at Basement Theatre, we are now developing the work for touring. Funding will support rehearsing six actors across three roles, allowing the production to travel more sustainably and reach communities throughout Aotearoa. Through powerful storytelling and innovative theatre-making, Asra seeks to humanise lives too often reduced to statistics and bring these vital stories into the light.

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