Charlie Le Grice

The Significance of Self-Discovery

The journey of self-discovery is as profound as it is personal, a weight that only the individual can measure. For some, this path is illuminated by the rich mosaic of family history and cultural traditions passed down through generations—a privilege that anchors their identity. For others, that connection may have been severed long before their birth, leaving them to navigate a void where roots should grow. Yet, the decision to seek out and understand one’s heritage, even in the face of uncertainty and obscurity, is a courageous act. Charlie Le Grice, a member of the Ngāti Whātua, Ōrākei tribe, a Māori tribe from New Zealand, exemplifies this courage by exploring her ancestral traditions and stories, confronting the fractures of history to understand a deeper sense of her family.

Ngāti Whātua: A Tribe’s Historical and Cultural Impact

Ngāti Whātua’s influence on Auckland’s history and culture is profound. In the mid-18th century, under Tūperiri’s leadership, they established dominance over the region through warfare and strategic alliances, embodying ahi kā, or “keeping the home fires burning.” However, as Le Grice highlights, “in truth, we should be honoring his mother Toukararai; the mana of Toukararai was the ancient mana of the land” (a quote from the 1912 land dispute amongst our hapū).

Historical agreements recognized Tūperiri and his sister Tahatahi as equals in ownership, but British systems allowed male leaders, such as Apihai Te Kawau, to sideline female leadership. While Apihai sought British support to counter trading rivals, he never welcomed the establishment of Auckland as a colonial capital. The Māori version of the Treaty of Waitangi agreed to shared land use and British self-governance, whereas the English version claimed sovereignty—leaving Aotearoa as unceded territory.

Early Life and Family Background

Charlie Le Grice, a multidisciplinary professional, traces her origins to Auckland, New Zealand, where she was raised by her single mother. Her parents’ unique story began in New York City in 1983, when they met by chance on a subway. “My mother was visiting and teaching at a performing arts camp upstate,” Le Grice recalled. Her father, a professional in the technology sector who worked with major companies like Microsoft, stayed in the United States while her mother returned to New Zealand. Reflecting on the complexities of her early life, Le Grice shared, “It’s a bit of a blur as to whether she knew she was pregnant or realized later and decided to go home.” Her parents reunited briefly during her childhood, living together in New York for a time. In the late 1980s, her father spent a period in New Zealand before ultimately passing away in 2021.

Reconnecting with Māori Traditions

At the early age of 10, Charlie Le Grice frequently moved across Auckland, its outskirts, and even other countries with her mother, attending multiple schools due to their transient lifestyle. Reflecting on this period, Le Grice noted, “We did move around Auckland (and other countries) a lot from birth till around 10 or 11 when we settled down a bit in Sydney.” She described her connection to Māori traditions as complex. “There is the tradition of our ancestors, but then there are the traditions of the ancestors I know, like my grandparents. There is a newer dimension,” she said. One of her earliest cultural memories comes from her first school in the 1990s, during the reparations period for her tribe in New Zealand. The school, located on a hillside in Ōrākei, allowed her to learn Māori songs, dances, and counting alongside her biological cousin. “There was more interaction with the community,” Le Grice said, referring to her time on tribal land. “The traditions were lost for our parents, and it is just now that the traditions are back.”

Her mother, who was adopted and later reconnected with her tribe, was raised by her adoptive mother—the love of her life—who always supported her in seeking out her Māori family and encouraged her to build a connection with Makawe. Le Grice recalls meeting her biological grandmother, Makawe, whose name means “the woman with the beautiful hair” in Māori. “The only story I have of her is in the context of all the men who were around her,” Le Grice said. Makawe, a descendant of chiefs, experienced significant losses, including the separation from her children. “As I get older, I see and understand the challenges, but as a child, I felt like my mother was disregarded. I believed it but not in my heart,” she added.

Ngāti Whātua’s Pre-Colonial and Colonial History

Le Grice’s tribe, Ngāti Whātua, was involved in trade before British colonization in 1840 due to their location near a main port. “During the 16th and 17th centuries, we were already trading fish, bone weapons, flax, and baskets,” she explained. “We were already trading with Europeans like the Dutch and the French. The French started setting up homes in our city, and we asked the British to help.” She noted that early contact with Europeans led to intermarriages and changes within the tribe, which some view as making them less traditional. However, the tribe also led resistance movements due to their interactions with Europeans.

Māori’s Spriritual Beliefs and Cultural Practice

“We believe that we are one with the sky and the water,” Le Grice said of her people’s spiritual beliefs. “As much as we do believe in sky and water, our core beliefs are embedded in Tangata Whenua and Tangata Moana—our connection to and responsibility for the land and sea of Aotearoa.” Introducing oneself in Māori tradition includes statements such as, “I am of this mountain, I am of this water, I came in this ship (waka), I came from this tribe (hapū).” She added that this connection to the environment and community is something she is actively working to reclaim.

Acting career: Passion and Challenges

Looking back on her acting career, Le Grice reflects on a lifelong passion shaped by early constraints. “Acting was something I had always wanted to do,” she shared, “but my mother simply couldn’t afford it.” As an only child, she turned solitude into opportunity, reciting Shakespeare and performing solo. “I had to play all the characters because I had no siblings,” she humorously recalled. Her dedication led her to a performing arts school in Australia, where she pursued her dream, becoming a professional actor at 24.

However, the challenges she faced within the industry ultimately led her to retire in 2021. Le Grice spoke candidly about the limitations imposed by casting stereotypes. “The Black woman stereotype, or the mixed woman stereotype—those were the roles I would get,” she explained. “I don’t come off as a Black woman, and my voice doesn’t sound like one. Casting directors don’t want to have to think about you. They want to see exactly what they’re familiar with. And they put you in a box—an ‘ethnically ambiguous’ box.”

While she was often cast as a strong, mysterious figure—what she described as a James Bond archetype—she longed for roles that would allow her to explore other dimensions of her talent. “For so many roles, they just wanted me to be Black,” she said. “Why can’t I do romantic comedies or Shakespeare?” While she achieved significant milestones as an actor, the constraints of typecasting made it difficult to fully pursue the diverse range of stories she wished to tell, leading her to leave the field. “I am a strong woman in life but I was not a strong woman as an artist. I always succumb to the artist they want you to be,” Le Grice added.

Memorable Acting Experience: Girls of Summer

When asked about the most memorable experience of her acting career, Le Grice recalled her role in the play Girls of Summer, performed at Cheyney University. The play, a fictionalized account inspired by the true story of the first all-female Black baseball team in Chicago, was set during a time of racial tension and mysterious disappearances of women. Le Grice did not audition for the role—instead, the director offered it to her after the original actress dropped out of the production. She had previously auditioned for him for another role, Cleopatra.

The experience was a deeply emotional turning point in her career. “I became emotional after the play,” she shared, reflecting on how the performance resonated with her own journey and history. The production, which blended comedy and drama, explored themes of identity, race, and gender—issues Le Grice had never before engaged with in such a personal way.

“The practice required by acting allowed me to arrive at certain feelings and learn how to handle those feelings with somebody else,” she explained. “When you are working with a partner, you have to trust them with your emotions and let them carry the story. You are giving up control, and it also allows you to understand yourself better.” For Le Grice, it is important to be able to pull out of a feeling induced by the character while acting. Her conservatory training had taught her this balance. She recalled her teacher’s advice: “You should go into this with the curiosity of a child, but not a disturbed child.”

Venturing into Real Estate

In addition to her acting career, Le Grice ventured into the real estate market, particularly in Brooklyn, NY, a place that holds personal significance for her. Her father and paternal grandmother had lived in Brooklyn before her grandmother moved from Alabama, giving Le Grice a deep, emotional connection to the area. “I became a realtor because I wanted to be able to fund my own films, and I wanted to make this social justice documentary. I write films all the time. I really wanted to make these films on my own terms,” she explained. Real estate provided financial stability during the off-seasons of acting, allowing her to maintain a steady income while pursuing her creative passions.

Le Grice made a conscious effort to separate her acting career from her real estate work, aiming to establish herself as a professional in both fields on her own terms. However, there were moments when clients would recognize her from commercials, and these encounters sometimes worked in her favor, while at other times, they led to doubts about her professionalism. “Sometimes it was a reason for clients to think I wasn’t serious about real estate or capable in this field,” she shared. “Other times, it became a reason for them to want to work with me.” Despite the mixed reactions, Le Grice focused on building her reputation as a trusted professional, finding great fulfillment in nurturing relationships within the community.

Her acting training also proved to be an asset in her real estate work, allowing her to transition seamlessly into the professional character required for the role of a realtor. The skills she developed as an actor—such as adaptability, communication, and the ability to read and respond to people’s emotions—helped her connect with clients and navigate complex situations. At 19, she had worked in commercial art sales for interior design, where she refined her understanding of people’s psychology and motivations.

This early experience, combined with her acting background, allowed her to excel in real estate. Though real estate was never her primary ambition, it became a reliable safety net, enabling her to pursue her creative goals with greater freedom.

Current Work at Human Rights First

At Human Rights First, Le Grice is responsible for development, which includes grant writing comparable to branding in a company, a position that requires storytelling, staying current with the philanthropic climate, and understanding how people see human rights.

Embracing Māori Identity and Advocacy

Reconnecting with her Māori culture—something she once distanced herself from due to feelings of stigma and shame—has re-established a foundation of strength and commitment for her. This renewed connection has allowed her to define her boundaries, clearly identifying what she stands for and what she will no longer tolerate. In her experience, people in New York have been increasingly receptive to her Māori heritage, much like their growing recognition of other Indigenous cultures in the Pacific. She sees this openness as a gateway for fostering awareness and understanding of the first peoples of New York, which has become central to her work.

“I feel like all of my leverage, identifying as a Māori woman and a woman of color, is who I am, and I am going to tell you,” she declared. Initially, this sense of leverage felt uncomfortable, as though she were exploiting her identity, but she came to recognize it as a source of strength.

The Māori Nation Welfare League, known in Māori as Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora, is a national charitable organization established in 1951 in New Zealand, dedicated to improving the well-being of Māori women and their families. However, challenges remain, as Māori women are disproportionately represented in prisons and often lack adequate access to healthcare, contrary to common perceptions about healthcare accessibility in New Zealand. During a visit to New York, the League crossed paths with Le Grice. She joined them for tea, where they spoke the Māori language and shared songs, helping Le Grice reconnect with cultural elements from her early life in New Zealand.

This encounter held deeper meaning for Le Grice. As one of the women pointed out, advocating for their people is not a choice but a necessity, as they lack a platform. For Le Grice, the experience became a way for her ancestors to speak to her through the Māori women, affirming her role as an advocate. “Our ancestors are loud,” she asserted, framing the moment as both a reminder and a call to action rooted in cultural and ancestral connection.

The Significance of Pounamu

She wears a jade necklace called pounamu, traditionally given to children at birth. Her necklace, however, was a gift from her cousin. After her mother left the tribal community with a young Le Grice and lost contact for years, her cousin visited the U.S. in 2017, reconnected with her, and brought the pounamu from their homeland. This profound reunion is symbolized by the pounamu she now wears. “I feel very connected with my stone,” she reflects. Earlier this year, a women’s tribe visited and shared that pounamu is often gifted to someone who offers help or support, making it a meaningful reminder of her own work and advocacies.

Conclusion: Bridging Tradition and Modernity

Charlie Le Grice’s journey as a multifaceted storyteller is deeply connected to the symbolism of the pounamu in Māori culture, with her love and pursuit reflecting the courage to reconnect with her roots. Her path of self-discovery embodies the enduring strength and resilience of ancestral traditions, embracing transformation while remaining firmly anchored to the land. Like the pounamu, shaped by time yet unyielding, Le Grice’s commitment to honoring her Māori heritage mirrors the love and pursuit of the pounamu’s legacy—an unyielding pursuit of connection to what is sacred and lasting. Her advocacy extends beyond her own heritage, empowering marginalized voices within various Indigenous communities. Through her work, she demonstrates how the principles of love and pursuit, deeply ingrained in the legend of the pounamu, continue to guide her in bringing ancestral wisdom into modern life, ensuring its relevance and impact for future generations.