Te Rerenga Wairua
- Māori
- NZ History
- Animation
This trippy animation follows the spirit of a person killed in a motorway car accident. The life force (wairua) runs through forest and beaches on its journey to Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Rēinga). En route it meets tourist buses and other spirits, before reaching the gnarly pohutukawa and making the leap towards Hawaiki-Nui. There's a real native joy in seeing contemporary 80s animation enliven ancient Māori spiritual concepts. Joe Wylie (Toy Love's Bride of Frankenstein) was in charge of the animation team; The Clean provide the soundtrack to the all-stops-out finale.
December 2011 discussion of the film, on website Public Address
Joe Wylie's blog Porcupine Fame
Department of Conservation entry on Te Rerenga Wairua at Cape Rēinga
Te Ara entry on Te Rerenga Wairua at Cape Rēinga
Art New Zealand article on Joe Wylie
NZ Film Commission page for this film
Tim Bollinger's tribute to Joe Wylie, Art News Aotearoa, October 2022

















