Sunday, 5 July 2009
05 Hōngongoi (July) 2009
"Waiho ra kia tu takitahi nga whetū o te rangi"
Leave the stars as they are in the sky
Explanation by Rangitūnoa Black nō Ngai Tūhoe
After returning from a long stint overseas, Leo Koziol nō Rakaipaaka, Kahungunu, returned to Nuhaka, Aotearoa. Like many who find themselves back home, he reconnected with his taha Māori and in doing so hooked into technology and started blogging under the pseudonym Naked in Nuhaka. Looking to counteract the negativity associated with neighbouring township, Wairoa, in 2005 Koziol founded the Wairoa Māori film festival. For a few days every year the township brims with Māori and indigenous film-makers. The community benefit is two-fold; as they enter worlds different to their own, through the screening of movies usually restricted to larger city centres or exclusive video stores, their world view becomes less insular which, according to some festival patrons, contributes to a better rounded community. This partially led to the decision to tour a selection of Māori short films which include Shadows (Mike Jonathan), Patu Ihu (Summer Agnew) and Aphrodite's Farm (Adam Strange).
As well as hosting the event the Wairoa Film Festival Committee makes a number of awards which this year included;
Audience Award for the Best Short Drama- Warbrick byMeihana and Pere Durie
International Indigenous Film Award -Tnorala Baby Falling by Warwick Thornton
Aotearoa Feature Documentary Drama -Taking the waewae express by Andrea Boshard and Shane Loader
2009 Festival Prize - Rain of the Children by Vincent Ward
Moana Sinclair nō Ngāti Raukawa accepted the Audience award on behalf of her cousins, Meihana and Pere Durie. Sinclair talks documentary making with Justine Murray as too does Ella Henry nō Muriwhēnua whose Māori media students work was screened.
Moana Sinclair pictured right,accepting the 2009 Wairoa Maori film festival audience award on behalf of Meihana and Pere Durie for their short film, Warbrick from Huia Koziol.
There's Wellywood, Bollywood and now there's Pollywood, the Polynesian contribution to the film-making scene. Maraea Rakuraku asks Craig Fasi nō Niue about the Polynesian component to the festival.
The 2009 Ahuwhenua Trophy awarding Maori excellence in Sheep and Beef farming Maori went to Pakarae Whangara B5 Partnership, a 5600 hectare farm based in Whangara. Te Ahi Kaa was at the awards ceremony on the 19 June, 2009. Justine Murray talks with one of the judges Roger Pikia and Chairperson of the winning farm, Ingrid Collins gives her acceptance speech.
The team behind the Pakarae Whangara B5 Partnership
It took an accident for Tama Waipara to put down his clarinet and start singing. Seriously. The result is the album, Sir Plus and the Requirements. The waiata, Cruise features as too a recording of Whāngara mai Tawhiti, performing Ngāti Pōrou standard, Paikea celebrating the win of Pakarae Whāngara B5 partnership of the 2009 Ahuwhenua Trophy (Sheep and Beef).
Members of Whangara mai Tawhiti Kapa Haka and Ngati Porou iwi celebrating Pakarae Whangara B5 Partnerships winning of the 2009 Ahuwhenua Trophy: Maori excellence in Farming Award - Sheep and Beef.
Waiata featured:
Cruise from thealbum Sir-Plus and Requirements (2008) as performed byTama Waipara
Paikeaas performed by Whāngara mai Tawhiti (2009) at Ahuwhenua Trophy Awards held 16 June, 2009