Instagram story viewer> @lukeorbell> Tagged

Luke Orbell

@lukeorbell

1.8K

followers

1843

following

Mai te awa, ki te moana 🇵🇸
kāi tahu ❤️🖤
kaiwhakaari and indigenous creative⚡️ @thehumanagency
Youth MP for @debbiengarewapacker 2022 🖤

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

It’s Gender Fluid Visibility Week, so of course the New Zealand Falcons wanted to celebrate in style!

Haere Mai means to welcome, invite someone in, and we’d like to invite you all to give a hearty haere mai to gender fluid people this week and every week 💚🖤

Remember that people don’t need to explain their gender, you don’t need to explain your gender - you may simply exist (and play rugby? 👀) as and how you feel your most true, loved, empowered self!

The New Zealand Falcons will always stand for inclusion of all people!! And all genders, however your gender manifests and shifts, are always encouraged to reach out to us and we will always greet you with an exuberant, nau mai, haere mai 🦅

📸 @armstrong.photos

#nzfalcons #inclusiverugby #gayrugby #nzrugby #genderfluid

215

2

MEET THE ARTISTS FROM TĀNE RORE at @taurangafestival

Actor. Director. Musician. Writer. Producer. Teacher. Jason Te Mete wears a LOT of hats!

A proud descendant of Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Hangarau, Pirirākau and Ngāi Te Rangi, Jason is a multidisciplinary artist with more than 25 years of professional experience across theatre, music and performance.

From performing on international stages to directing more than 40 musical productions, Jason has enjoyed a colourful career that has seen him work with some of Aotearoa's leading theatre companies. Along the way, he's picked up a few accolades too, including the 2018 Adam Play Award for Best Play by a Māori Playwright and the 2024 Ngā Tohu Toi Creative of the Year Award.

But these days, Jason's biggest passion is creating opportunities for others to shine.

As the founder and Artistic Director of Tuatara Collective, he's been busy building a home for Māori, Pasifika, Takatāpui and LGBTQIA+ artists to tell their stories, while helping rangatahi discover their confidence, creativity and place in the world.

Recent mahi has included creating the powerful ANZAC tribute FOR THE FALLEN, delivering theatre and wellbeing wānanga for rangatahi, and getting audiences singing their hearts out with WAIATA MAI, and the gloriously chaotic BATTLE CHORUS. He is spearheading the RĀTĀ Pathway, an ambitious vision to grow a thriving Māori performing arts and wellbeing ecosystem in Tauranga Moana, where creativity, cultural identity and community connection go hand in hand.

For Jason, theatre has always been about more than putting on a good show. It's about bringing people together, creating space for voices to be heard, and sharing and celebrating our own narratives.

Jason is directing and producing the Tauranga Arts Festival season of TĀNE RORE at @baycourt.tauranga 27–29 October 2026, featuring Tohu Edwards, Poroaki Mcdonald, Nātana Mika, Luke Orbell, Joseph Rehu-Hahunga and Douglas Joseph, proudly supported by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ranginui Iwi.

Get tickets now at @eventfindanz

For more information about TĀNE RORE visit our website https://www.tuataracollective.com/

3

0

Here at the New Zealand Falcons we KNOW that it is never too late. Whether it’s to improve your mental wellbeing, or to try something you’ve never done but always wanted to! 💚🖤

Trying new things, meeting new people and learning new things about ourselves is such a vulnerable pursuit. It can feel uncomfortable and embarrassing, like you shouldn’t be doing it, that it’s too late. But believe us when we say that the voice telling you all of these things, is just robbing you of some amazing things that are waiting for you to grab them 💚🖤

The Falcons are waiting for you to grab us, and we know firsthand that all of these things that promote mental wellbeing can literally be lifesaving. We’re probably biased but we genuinely believe you can find them with the Falcons 🦅

We’re always open for you, we’re here to welcome and support all who are Falcons-curious 😘

📸 @armstrong.photos
📸 @insideisaiah

#nzfalcons #inclusiverugby #gayrugby #nzrugby #mentalhealthawareness

96

3

CONGRATS! You’re gay!

This International Coming Out Day, the New Zealand Falcons want to take a moment to acknowledge that everyone has a different journey to take when it comes to coming out 💚🖤

For some, it’s not safe to come out, for others they’re not ready, some may be in position where they’re coming out repeatedly, and others may feel that they shouldn’t have to. While our stories may be familiar to those around us, we all navigate these stories differently and that is A-OK 🫶 You don’t owe coming out to anyone, it’s important to honour your journey on your own terms surrounded by people who support you.

As always, send this to someone and congratulate them for being gay, or send it to them because maybe they need it 💚🖤

📸 @armstrong.photos
📸 @andrewthillphoto

#nzfalcons #inclusiverugby #gayrugby #nzrugby #internationalcomingoutday

2k

6

MEET THE ARTISTS FROM TĀNE RORE at @taurangafestival

TOHU EDWARDS

Remember this name - Tohu Edwards.

Proudly Ngāpuhi, Whakatōhea and Ngāti Porou, @tohu._edwrds is a talented young Tauranga Moana actor who is quickly building an impressive reputation across theatre and screen.

Recently graduated from @tewharekuraomauao_ , Tohu has already appeared on screen in the television series Not Even, taken on the role of Sonny in In the Heights, and performed with Tuatara Collective in FOR THE FALLEN.

And then there’s Shakespeare! Selected for the prestigious Shakespeare Globe Centre New Zealand Young Shakespeare Company @sgcnz , Tohu travelled to London and performed on the Globe Theatre stage. He has tackled everything from Romeo & Juliet and Othello to As You Like It, earning himself a Best Actor Under 16 award along the way. He also stepped up as a young cultural leader, teaching waiata and haka to the full company.

Shakespeare one minute. Haka the next. Musical theatre, screen acting, contemporary Māori storytelling - chuck it at him and he’ll give it a go. He has grown from strength to strength through Tuatara Collective’s iconic performing arts and wellbeing programmes, including FOR THE FALLEN, and will continue to develop his craft and secure his place amongst an exciting new generation of Māori performers.

Tohu is performing in the Tauranga Arts Festival season of TĀNE RORE at @baycourt.tauranga 27–29 October 2026, alongside Poroaki Mcdonald, Nātana Mika, Luke Orbell and Joseph Rehu-Hahunga, proudly supported by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ranginui Iwi.

Get tickets now at @eventfindanz

For more information about TĀNE RORE visit our website https://www.tuataracollective.com/

14

0

Day 2 Part 1 BTS - Break Room 📱

Some more stills, with many more to come very soon. 👏

📸 @llauren__c

57

3

The New Zealand Falcons are a whānau made up of people of ALL genders and we want YOU to know that all genders are welcomed and celebrated here 🖤💚

Whether you’re interested in learning and playing touch, union piques your interest, or you just wanna get involved in the Falcons community, there is PLENTY of space and support for you 🦅

We hope to see you in the DMs and at our trainings very shortly… perhaps we’ll even see you at the touch muster tomorrow?! Get in touch!

📸 @armstrong.photos

#nzfalcons #inclusiverugby #gayrugby #nzrugby #touchrugby

437

1

The New Zealand Falcons would like to give a big tēnā koe lesbian! to all lesbians in our communities this International Lesbian Day 💚🖤

Whether it’s lesbian rights, lesbian wrongs, or lesbians in sports, we’re right there with you! And you could be right here with us? We would LOVE to welcome more lesbians into our community, and while we know not all lesbians identify as women, how cool would it be if there was a Falcons Women’s team 👀

Share this with your favourite lesbians this International Lesbian Day, with a big tēnā koe lesbian!

📸 @armstrong.photos

#nzfalcons #inclusiverugby #gayrugby #nzrugby #womensrugby

70k

9

Thank you to all who joined us last night. The rangatahi trio turned heads and left many of us feeling inspired and hopeful. There are some strong leaders amongst us, ready to succeed when their time comes. I’m certain it’s not too far away 😄

The thing is, we need you to vote this year. There are around 15,000 Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau not yet enrolled to vote in the Election. You still have time, but not much.

Enrolments close 25 October. Get it done now.

www.vote.nz

Candidate Vote: Oriini KAIPARA
Party Vote: GREEN

#aotearoahou #mokopunadecisions🖤🤍❤️ #vote4tetiriti

3

2

MEET THE ARTISTS FROM TĀNE RORE at @taurangafestival

LUKE ORBELL

Actor. Writer. Director. Creative. Activist. @lukeorbell is definitely not interested in staying in just one lane.

Proudly Ngāi Tahu, Luke is an emerging Māori artist with a passion for telling stories that reflect his queer and Indigenous identities, and for creating space for voices and experiences that haven’t always been given centre stage.

After graduating from Unitec’s Acting programme in 2023, Luke has been busy carving out his own pathway within the arts - acting, writing, directing, producing and developing his own creative projects, including a short film he plans to write, direct and produce.

In 2025, Luke joined the original cast of TĀNE RORE, which was a pretty special collision of generations, with mātauranga, lived experience and storytelling passing between performers at very different stages of their lives and careers. Luke brings something uniquely his own to that mix - humour, vulnerability, confidence and an unapologetic willingness to explore what it means to be Māori, takatāpui and a young man in Aotearoa today.

And we’re stoked to have him back.

Alongside performing, Luke continues to develop his own voice as a writer and filmmaker, building towards a creative career where he doesn’t simply perform other people’s stories, he gets to create and tell his own.

Luke is performing in the Tauranga Arts Festival season of TĀNE RORE at @baycourt.tauranga 27–29 October 2026, alongside Tohu Edwards, Poroaki Mcdonald, Nātana Mika, and Joseph Rehu-Hahunga, proudly supported by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ranginui Iwi.

Get tickets now at @eventfindanz

For more information about TĀNE RORE visit our website https://www.tuataracollective.com/

4

0

We all know that one of the most important things for LGBTQIA+ people is connection to community and a sense of belonging, and many crave this outside of the local nightlife.

Ask any member of our club and they will tell you they have made life long connections within the Falcons, a safe and supportive community that always has our backs and lifts us up.

The Falcons are here waiting for you, whenever you’re ready but in particular we’re here for you this Saturday at our Touch Muster.

11am-1pm | Cox’s Bay Pavilion

Please register by completing the JOIN US link in our bio, or by sending us a DM 💌

📸 @armstrong.photos

#nzfalcons #inclusiverugby #gayrugby #nzrugby #touchrugby

39

1

MEET THE ARTISTS FROM TĀNE RORE at @taurangafestival

JOSEPH REHU-HAHUNGA

There’s something pretty special about finding your way back to the thing you love.

Joseph (@joes_cave ) is a Bay of Plenty-based Māori actor, proudly Ngāti Rangiwewehi and Ngāti Ranginui, whose journey as a performer stretches back more than two decades.

After training and performing in the early 2000s, including appearances in Coming Home and Whakairo, Joseph returned to acting with renewed energy and has spent the past few years sharpening his craft across both stage and screen.

And he’s certainly been busy!

Recent mahi has seen Joseph tackle one of theatre’s biggest roles, playing Macbeth in 2024, alongside performances in Waiting for the Pākehā and Te Ahunga. His screen work has included the short films Bound and Kidnapped, while in 2025 he took on the lead role of Tom in a live presentation of Skin Tight.

Now we’re stoked to welcome Joseph into the Tuatara Collective whānau as part of our 2026 cast of TĀNE RORE.

There’s a beautiful symmetry to Joseph joining this particular production. TĀNE RORE is built around generations of Māori men standing together, exchanging stories, challenging perceptions and passing knowledge from one to another. Joseph brings another generation, another life experience and another voice into that conversation.

Joseph is performing in the Tauranga Arts Festival season of TĀNE RORE at @baycourt.tauranga 27–29 October 2026, alongside Tohu Edwards, Poroaki Mcdonald, Nātana Mika, and Luke Orbell, proudly supported by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ranginui Iwi.

Get tickets now at @eventfindanz

For more information about TĀNE RORE visit our website https://www.tuataracollective.com/

3

0