Hinetu Dell and Darneen Christian: On a cultural journey. Photo / Supplied
Hinetu Dell and Darneen Christian: On a cultural journey. Photo / Supplied
Kōkā, directed by Kath Akuhata-Brown, is in cinemas now.
Released in time for Matariki, Kōkā is the tale of Jo, a young wahine Māori whose life is going off the rails, and Hamo, the kuia whose history drives her to help the girl get back on track.
The predominantlyte reo Māori feature, the debut of Kiwi writer-director Kath Akuhata-Brown, is both a spiritual and cultural journey, and an odd-couple generation-gap road trip. But those elements and the characters don’t always gel, not helped by some uneven performances. But on the otherworldly side, the film’s visually impressive dream sequences and flashbacks to Hamo’s painful past help bring alive what might feel like an otherwise pedestrian journey.
The volatile Jo (Darneen Christian) lives with her mates in a rough caravan park run by a caricatured racist Pākehā (Joel Tobeck). Often finding herself on the wrong side of the law, she encounters Hamo (Hinetu Dell) when the older woman accidentally runs her over.
After a brief trip to the hospital, and a court date resulting from some trouble at the camp ground, the pair head north from the South Island for Ngāti Porou country, a place that holds important memories for the secretive older woman.
The dream scenes of Hamo gazing at a painted sky to composer Arli Liberman’s incredible soundscape intimates that the hīkoi will end in the heavens. The CGI in these scenes may be imperfect but it’s magical, nonetheless. It’s also ultimately more affecting than the pair’s relationship, even as the quietly dignified Hamo gives Jo lessons in te ao Māori and “the old ways”.
Kōkā attempts to be a story of injustice, wisdom and hope, as well as a commentary on the deprivation of culture and place suffered by many rangatahi. It may be underpinned by important messages, but the drama isn’t strong enough to deliver them.
