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Heartland - Ruatāhuna

1995 Television
  • Documentary
  • Māori
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About

In this full-length episode from 1995, presenter Gary McCormick arrives in Ruatāhuna, heartland of the Tūhoe people — the "children of the mist". It focuses on the preparations and staging of the annual Tūhoe Festival, which features food, sport, kapa haka and debate. McCormick interviews local and national figures who express their feelings on the Tūhoe heritage including well-known activist Tame Iti. Grievances of the past are highlighted, along with pride and hope for the future. This episode goes beyond the affable romanticism of much of the series to examine the uncomfortable edge of race relations in Aotearoa.

Key Cast & Crew

DM
Dermot McNeillage
Editor