Tūwhakairiora’s story comes to life in Kairākau’s latest season on Whakaata Māori

Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne as Hinerupe, her father Taiarahia Melbourne as Te Aotaki and Ani Pahuru-Huriwai as Hinemaurea in Kairākau 4: The Rise of Tūwhakairiora. Photo / Velvet Stone Media
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
The new season of Kairākau, which shares the Ngāti Porou story of Tūwhakairiora and his lasting impacts on Tairāwhiti, made its television premiere this week.
Set in 16th century Aotearoa before Pākehā arrived, the story of Tūwhakairiora and his life’s mission to avenge the murder of his grandfather is the focus of season four of the Whakaata Māori TV show.
Series co-creator Rangi Rangitukunoa (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Maru) has been a part of Kairākau from the beginning.
“Telling unique authentic Māori stories is a passion. When we created Kairākau, we had the vision of taking our tīpuna stories to the world – they’re that worthy,” Rangitukunoa said.
“Kairākau 4 shows we can do it – depth of story, authentically Māori and a passionate crew. We’re living the dream.”
Based in Wharekahika, there are plenty of actors who whakapapa to the region. They include Te Kohe Tuhaka, Tangimangaone Pewhairangi, Taiarahia Melbourne, Moerangi Tetapuhi, Maaka Pohatu, Robin Hapeta, Tamati Tangohau, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Keeti- Moana Clark, Ani Pahuru-Huriwai, Lionel Wellington and Kararaina Ngatai-Melbourne.
Ani Pahuru-Huriwai (Te Whānau o Tūwhakairiora), a Māori ward councillor at Gisborne District Council, plays Hinemaurea. She said it was an honour to be in the role of a prominent tīpuna of Ngāti Porou.
“We were anxious because we are not just telling a story of anybody – these are our actual tīpuna. It’s their story and our history we have grown up with as Ngāti Porou.
“We hope the whānau are really happy with it,” she said.
On Thursday night, a premiere event was held at Te Kura Kauapa Māori o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti for the whole community.
Te Kohe Tuhaka, who plays Tūwhakairiora, was there to meet whānau, hapū and iwi members.
Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne plays Hinerupe, her mother Kararaina Ngatai-Melbourne is Whaene and father Taiarahia Melbourne is Te Aotaki.
The series took months of development, followed by six weeks of filming – two weeks of that in Wharekahika based at Hinemaurea Marae.
It was the first time the production crew had filmed outside Rotorua.
Pahuru-Huriwai said it was important to share these stories and have rangatahi who whakapapa to the rohe involved in front of the camera and behind the scenes.
“So many of our rangatahi are stars in their own rights in every facet of the industry. Our dream is to have our own Ngati Porou production company to tell our stories our own way.”
One of the bottom lines about producing this series was that the te reo was in te reo Ngāti Porou, a local mita (dialect) of Tairawhiti, Pahuru-Huriwai said.
“It wasn’t a mistake or accident it was launched during Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori. We wanted our reo to be heard.
“Whānau who have seen it say that it feels familiar to them as it’s the reo they hear on the Coast.”
Toitū Ngāti Porou provided some funding and hosting of the crew, which the team were grateful for as it helped the mahi happen.
Pahuru-Huriwai said they were clear on who they wanted to play the roles of their tīpuna.
“Those young wāhine are the manifestation of the tīpuna they portrayed. You can feel the mana through the screen.
“These programmes don’t have big budgets like mainstream TV has, but the impact they have on generations of people is massive. This series is going to have a lasting impact.”
Rangitukunoa said sharing the story of Tūwhakairiora had been on the planning table since before the first series of Kairakau.
“We weren’t ready back then to do this story, but after eight years of mahi creating the first three series, it was time. It has been a dream come true doing this.”
Doing stories about different tīpuna, it is important and necessary to work with those who whakapapa to them, he said.
They reached out to Te Whānau a Tūwhakairiora, had a hui and created a plan to work together on the series.
“The story of Tūwhakairiora is threaded throughout Ngāti Porou.”
Sharing stories of these tīpuna was important because many of the stories were kept at the marae or in books that were not accessible to those connected to the tīpuna.
“So being able to craft these stories is so important to help revitalise and reinvigorate their interest in wanting to know more about their tīpuna and where they come from.
“There is no way we could showcase these stories if it was not in te reo Māori,” he said.
Matai O’Connor, Ngāti Porou, has been a journalist for five years and Kaupapa Māori reporter at the Gisborne Herald for two years.