A Cat Among the Pigeons

In the late 80s the creation of a new public park in central Wellington became an act of cross-cultural collaboration, and an infamous battlezone between artist, council and naysayers. Following positive feedback over her design, council staff decided that redevelopment of Pigeon Park (an old pa site) would be led by Māori artist Shona Rapira Davies. This doco follows the passionate, stroppy Rapira Davies, as she fights cost overruns, landscape architects and passersby, and for her vision (which involved handcrafting Te Aro park's 20,000 plus ceramic tiles).

If you people don’t come up with the money, and before the end of the month, we might as well call it quits as far as I’m concerned.

– Shona Rapira Davies, during negotiations with Wellington City Council

Key Cast & Crew

Pamela Meekings-Stewart

Producer, Director

Jonathan Besser

Composer

Shona Rapira Davies

Subject

Kura Te Waru Rewiri

Subject

Cheryl Cameron

Associate Producer, Associate Director

Owen Ferrier-Kerr

Editor