Gisborne Strikes Back

Television (Full Length) – 1992

In the late 1980s Cyclone Bola ravaged Tairāwhiti, unemployment was high and Ruatoria suffered a string of arsons. In 1991 local poet and presenter Gary McCormick and director Bruce Morrison joined forces to document Gisborne artists travelling to Auckland to showcase East Coast artistic talent. Māori and Pākehā locals including carver Greg Whakataka Brightwell, publican Peter Gardner and musician Nigel Pullyn discuss Gisborne's special bicultural spirit. The documentary ends with the celebratory concert at the Gluepot. The project inspired another collaboration: longrunning series Heartland.

We don't really feel it, we um, we feel as if 'this is our town, we live here' you know just like anyone else ...we do know it makes us be different from everyone else, the way we dress, but you know we, you could say we're intimidated when we're in a room full of people with suits and ties on.
– Mongrel Mob leader Ike Miringaorangi on being a visible presence in town