Māori and Pasifika shine at New Zealand Comedy Awards

Award-winning comedian James Nokise says it’s important to recognise the works of Māori and Pacific artists in the industry.

His comments come after Pasifika and Māori comedians made history at the New Zealand Comedy Awards, winning top honours for the first time. It was a clean sweep for Pacific and Māori comedians.

Nokise says the awards showcase the Pacific talent and the contributions of Māori comedians in Aotearoa.

The ceremony, which was held last weekend in Auckland, recognised the winners of the Fred Award for Best Comedy Show and the Billy T Award for Outstanding Up-and-Coming Performer.

Hoani Hotene, of Māori descent, was awarded the 2025 Billy T Award, while Angella Dravid, of Sāmoan heritage, received the Fred Award. Dravid is only the third woman ever to win the Fred Award, following in the footsteps of Jan Maree and Rose Matafeo.

Nokise joined John Pulu on Pacific Mornings to discuss the Comedy Awards and his 2024 Topp Award, which honours outstanding contributions to comedy. The award is named after the iconic Kiwi duo, the Topp Twins.

Nokise says the awards ceremony marks the conclusion of the New Zealand International Comedy Festival and is an important night for comedians.

“Billy T and the Fred Award are the goals for making it in the industry over here and sort of the mark by which you measure yourself,” he says.

Nokise, a 2019 Fred Award winner and two-time Billy T Award nominee, acknowledged the importance of Māori and Pasifika comedians winning top prizes at the Comedy Awards.

Listen to James Nokise's full interview below.

Nokise and PMN’s Island Time host, Tofiga Fepulea’i, have memorable appearances at the awards ceremony.

Nokise says it is a great opportunity for Pasifika talent to shine within the New Zealand comedy industry.

“With Tofiga, who in the comedy world is a Pacific comedian par excellence. He is our greatest comic. And that was just an incredible moment for him to be there, for the three of us to take out the award.

“For Pasifika to represent so brightly in front of the New Zealand comedy industry,” he says.

During the ceremony, Nokise caught up with Hotene and Dravid to gain insights into the significance of their awards.

Angella Dravis, only the third woman to claim the Fred Award at the New Zealand Comedy Awards. Photo/New Zealand International Comedy Festival Facebook

Dravid, who received the award for her show, I’m Happy For You, told Nokise that the recognition has given her relief and inspired her to reconnect with her comedic voice.

“This is the first show that I felt good about because I wrote it for myself. I found it funny, and getting an award for it means that all the years that I spent neglecting how I feel to make other people feel happy, that's all been undone.

“I can be selfish and I can perform the stuff I want to do, and people will still respect and like it,” she says.

Hotene’s Billy T Award recognised his show, It’s Getting Hot-ene, So Tell Me All Your Jokes, which tackles various topics including relationships, religion, and his identity as a red-haired Māori man.

Hotene told Nokise how special it was to receive recognition for his work, especially since it highlighted his Māori identity.

Hoani Hotene claims the Billy T Award, highlighting his show which touches on religion, relationships and being a red-haired Māori. Photo/New Zealand International Comedy Festival Facebook

“I think because there was quite a bit of stuff in there about being Maori and things about my own identity, it feels more special because it was nice to have so many audiences where it was very clearly a very Brown audience coming in and speaking to them.

“Particularly because it was talking about myself and being Māori and other people's reactions to that idea of being part of a culture that they might not necessarily look like,” he says.

Nokise also discussed his 2024 Topp Award with Pulu, describing it as a recognition of lifetime achievement within the comedy industry that extends to contributions in other areas.

“It's an award for a comedian who's taken their career and art form of comedy into different avenues.

“[It’s] partly for my work in the interviews I did for PMN and the Olympics, [and] my work in the poetry tour of British museums last year and a documentary series I made in the Marshall Islands. It's a sort of senior award,” he says.