Mataku - The Sisters (Ngā Tuāhine)

Anthology series Mataku featured Māori stories involving the supernatural. In this early episode, Temuera Morrison introduces the story of sisters Nola and Naera, who are playing in the forest when one of them goes missing. Mysterious patupaiarehe (fairies) are implicated. Years later Nola (Mamaengaroa Pere, who won acclaim as Grace Heke in Once Were Warriors) is down on her luck, when her sister reappears, no older than before. Noted Māori artist Gordon Toi (aka Gordon Hatfield) plays a dodgy admirer, and Stephen Lovatt plays the dodgy landlord. Carey Carter's story was based on two girls who went missing near Waikaremoana. 

For safe passage through their domain, an offering was made for them.

– One of the characters describes the patupaiarehe (fairies)

Key Cast & Crew

Nari Guthrie

As: Naera

Temuera Morrison

Presenter

Mamaengaroa Pere (née Kerr-Bell)

As: Nola

Carey Carter

Writer, Story Creator, Producer

Stephen Lovatt

As: The landlord

Renee Solomon-Tauhinu

As: Young Nola