Documentary and book Whenua Whispers includes stories from Gavin Brown (top left) and Gloria King (bottom left) and director and writer George Potaka (right).
Documentary and book Whenua Whispers includes stories from Gavin Brown (top left) and Gloria King (bottom left) and director and writer George Potaka (right).
Untold stories of the Waimarino community will be shared during the premiere of a new documentary and book project in Raetihi.
Whenua Whispers brings together the stories of 12 people from the region, aiming to preserve their histories for future generations.
It uses interview footage and written narratives toexplore identity, whenua and the deep and binding connections within Waimarino.
Writer and director George Potaka said it was a matter of trying to find people who were nearing death, dying or sick.
“... Interview them and get their stories before they passed away,” Potaka said.
“Originally, I was going to have my sister [Jacqueline] in there as one of the interviewees, but she passed away before I got started.
“I dedicated the book to her.”
From stallion trainers to possum furriers and recipients of the New Zealand Order of Merit, the interviewees largely drew on memories of childhood and growing up.
Potaka tried to capture the experiences of Māori and Pākehā in the region.
“You can see the split between Māori and Pākehā. The Māori did similar stuff, they had fun and games, eeling and crayfishing. And then you get to the Pākehā side and theirs was based mainly around work.
“Breaking in the land and that ... there was quite a good contrast, but then in between you’ve got the half-castes, who were walking both lines.
“It’s really cool, and the stories are really, really interesting.”
The premiere is at the Raetihi Royal Theatre on June 5 from 4-6pm, with doors opening at 3.30pm.
The documentary screening will be followed by a kapa haka performance from Mana Motuhake Kaumatua ki Raetihi and vocalists performing a unique song written for the project.
Waimarino voices featured in the documentary are Rangi Bristol, Kenneth Ian George, Christine Reynolds, Lulu Brider, Harvey Godfrey, Thomas Oliver Mowat, Thomas Tukutahi Waara, Yvonne Lenette “Bonnie” Sue, Merrilyn George, William “Billy” McDonnell, Gavin Brown and Gloria King.
Gloria King during an interview in her home for the documentary and book Whenua Whispers. Photo / George Potaka
Potaka said he initially identified 10 people to interview but that number grew to 68 before he settled on 12 interviewees.
“These are the voices that shaped this community and it’s important they are heard, remembered and carried forward,” he said.
Through his work in mental health for Te Puki Karaanga Hauora and as an artist, Potaka was already friends with many of the interviewees.
“Bonny Sue was the one who started up the Ngāti Rangi community health centre up here in Ōhakune.
“Tommy Waara, I used to help guide treks with him. He talks about that and his trips to America, where he went and did some stuff with the Natives over there.
“Everybody knows everybody up here. It’s one big family.
“This is about our people, our place and our stories.”
Filming for Whenua Whispers began last November.
“It was originally for the book. But because I had all the footage from the interviews on video, I decided to make a documentary out of it,” Potaka said.
A neutral recording space was set up at the back of the Dream Makers Trust office.
Recording in people’s homes or offices was challenging, Potaka said, with people wandering in the background or, in one case, a noisy air conditioner.
Organising the large amount of footage he gathered was also a hurdle.
“It gets frustrating. Because you want to highlight the interviewees in the best possible way, but we’re Māori. We make do with what we’ve got.”
