Mauri

When she made Mauri, Merata Mita became the first Māori woman to write and direct a dramatic feature. Mauri (meaning life force), is loosely set around a love triangle and explores cultural tensions, identity, and changing ways of life in a dwindling East Coast town. As with Barry Barclay film Ngāti, Mauri played a key role in the burgeoning Māori screen industry. The crew numbered 33 Māori and 20 Pākehā, including interns from Hawkes Bay wānanga. Kiwi art icon Ralph Hotere was production designer; the cast included Zac Wallace (star of Utu) and Māori activist Eva Rickard.

It was a quietly satisfying moment to enter the theatre on the opening night of Mauri and see the pride of so many brown faces. I am very proud to have made something for us, so relentless and uncompromising, and for me it was another brief fulfilled.

– Merata Mita in Deborah Shepard's 2000 book Reframing Women

Key Cast & Crew

Merata Mita

Writer, Producer, Director

Anzac Wallace

As: Rewi Rapana

Don Selwyn

As: Old Cop, Production Supervisor

Sonny Waru

As: Hemi

Rangimarie Delamere

As: Awatea

Willie Raana

As: Willie Rapana