The Wairoa Māori Film  Festival was founded in 2005 with the purpose of supporting, recognising and presenting the indigenous storyteller narrative.

Alongside the Māori programme, it screens  indigenous film works from all around the world. Indigenous film makers have travelled to the festival from such diverse destinations as Canada, Australia, United States, Mexico, Taiwan, the Philippines and Samoa.

The festival is hosted in Kahungunu Marae, a traditional Māori meeting house in the historic Māori village of Nuhaka. Visitors to the festival are welcomed in a traditional Māori ceremony. Guests stay on the marae, or at the nearby Morere Hot Springs.

Learn more about the Wairoa Māori Film  Festival here.

Pūmanawa: The Gift

Pūmanawa: The Gift was directed by Poata Eruera,  written by Marie Thompson and Wayne Te Tai, and produced by Tui Ruwhiu and Poata Eruera. It it one of four films developed through Ngā Aho Whakaari’s short film initiative Aho Shorts.

The film tells the story of of a young woman who is serious about a Christian boyfriend. Her mother fears it will threaten a spiritual gift both women have inherited. She takes her daughter back to her own tragic past to show how loneliness, hope and faith can turn love into turmoil. Finally, the daughter must consider the meaning of love and the value of her precious gift.

Aho Shorts

Pūmanawa: The Gift stems from the Aho Shorts strategy to grow film story telling talent in the regions. This initiative was developed by the guild for Māori in film and television – Ngā Aho Whakaari – and funded through them by the New Zealand Film Commission. Over a two year period, writing workshops were held in the Hokianga, Waiariki and Waikaremoana. Pūmanawa:The Gift springboards from the Hokianga and is the first of the Aho Shorts to be completed. The original story comes from Hokianga writers Marie Thompson and Wayne Te Tai.